Final Betrayal
by AstroKender
Summary: Finding One Piece, the Straw Hats leave the Grand Line and return to the the East Blue. But history seems determined to repeat itself, and for the second time in twenty five years Loguetown finds itself hosting the trial of Pirate King. Now Complete!
1. Chapter 1

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Fandom:_ One Piece  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned._  
Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_Timeline:_ Future. Luffy becomes Pirate King.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not****read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes: _This is a gift-fic for Dethorats, who is one of the best readers an author could ask for. Multipart Fic. New chapters to be posted (hopefully) each week.  
_Summary:_ Luffy has become the Pirate King, Zoro the Greatest Swordsman, and Usopp has become a Great Warrior of the Sea. They have found All Blue, the Rio Ponegryph and One Piece. With victory under their belts, the Straw Hat crew leaves the Grand Line and return to their home sea in the East Blue. But history seems determined to repeat itself, and for the second time in twenty-five years Loguetown finds itself hosting the trial of the Pirate King…

Once again, this fic contains spoilers for current manga chapters! Don't say I didn't warn you…

Final Betrayal – Chapter One

[captured

"Let us out, you hear!" Luffy rattled the bars of his cell. "And give me back my hat!" he added angrily.

The racket weakened abruptly, probably from prolonged contact with the seastone that sapped the very strength from his limbs. Luffy must have let go of the bars, because his sandals slapped loudly as he paced around the small confines of his prison, yelling and cursing the parentage and basic hygiene of their captors. In any other situation it would have been funny.

"Pipe down, will you?" Zoro called from the next cell. He was finally fighting free from the suffocating haze of the tranquilizer those bastards shot him up with. The sudden withdraw was making his head pound, Luffy's shouts were just making it worse.

They were far, far underground in a series of caves somewhere below sea level. Saltwater beaded across the walls, trickling down and pooling together in small puddles across the rough-hewn floor. The only light came from a series of torches along the hall. The flames spit and sputtered in the damp, casting crazy shadows across the walls. Zoro didn't know what kind of power it took to carve holes into solid seastone but --however they were made-- these caves became hell for anyone cursed with the powers of a Devil's Fruit. Really, this was the most lively Zoro had seen Luffy in days.

But this place was so far removed that all the shouting in the world wasn't likely to do any good. There was so little chance of escape that their guards had set up camp somewhere upstairs, comfortably out of the cold and damp. Besides, even if Luffy's calls managed to summon them, they would probably just sedate them again.

Not for the first time, Zoro was beginning to wonder whether it had been a good idea to submit to the government's manipulations. Even if it was to save the kid, the price they had asked for was too high. The marines wouldn't have seriously shot the boy. Probably.

Anyways, it had been stupid to surrender without a fight, and Zoro was starting to regret going along with the idea. His earlier confidence was seeping away. Not that he didn't have faith, but his captain's belief in friendship certainly got them into some tight spots. A rather put-upon sounding sigh snorted through Zoro's nostrils.

"Damn…." He heard Luffy slide to the floor. They were probably sitting back to back now, zoro felt, calling upon that strange instinct that seemed to home in on his captain's location. That connection seemed muffled now, the drugs and the thick wall between them managing to dull his senses.

Luffy was starting to wear down, Zoro realized with a frown. It was a cruel torture, making his Luffy --who thrived on human contact-- sit and slowly starve in near isolation. As for Zoro, it was torture enough to have to watch his mate's unflappable spirit being bled away, bit by bit, by the press of hundreds of kilos of ocean bred rock.

Zoro shifted, his hair scraping against wall's heavy grit. His tongue darted out, licking at his cracked and bleeding lips. This place made his whole body feel parched: probably from the salt.

"You okay over there?" he called out gruffly. It took a couple of heartbeats for the other to answer.

"I'm hungry." Luffy muttered, lacking his usual guff and gusto.

Zoro grunted. "They'll toss us some bread soon."

"It's never enough."

Zoro smiled at Luffy's bellyaching. "You can have my share."

A moments pause, then Zoro heard the other take a shuddering breath.

"I don't want to die, Zoro." Luffy's voice was muffled, yet Zoro heard the desperation so sharply that the words seemed to pierce his chest.

"Luffy…" Zoro didn't know what to say.

"I can't die yet!" Luffy's voice cracked toward the end. "I've got to help my friends with their dreams! Nami still hasn't mapped the entire ocean! Chopper hasn't found a cure for every sickness! There are people that still need me!"

Right now those people were all prisoners too, Zoro thought, restraining himself from mentioning his own claim in that list of who still needed their captain. Luffy didn't need that added burden. Besides, Zoro was pretty sure the other already knew. Luffy was perceptive like that.

They hadn't heard from the rest of the crew since getting thrown in this place. How many days has it been? Nine? Ten? The easiest way to keep them from escaping, Zoro's mind supplied, was to keep them separated. He couldn't be sure whether their friends were imprisoned just down the hall, or if they were even being held on the same island.

Or if they were alive. It was possible that the government decided to take care of them first. The thought soured in Zoro's throat, so he didn't share it.

He wanted to offer some sort of reassurance. He wanted the confidence to say that they could still find a way to escape. But so much time had passed; Zoro was enough of a realist to know that their window for sudden rescue was getting smaller every second. As much as he wanted to tell Luffy that things would work out like always, he couldn't wave away the seriousness of their situation. He knew where they were, and what it meant. After running so long, this just might be the end. It was hard to accept, but it just might be true.

But Luffy said he wasn't ready to die. That in itself was a marked difference from not long ago, when he-- no, when they both were ready to go down smiling. Part of Zoro was happy that Luffy had found something else to live for now that One Piece had been found. Another part of him realized that this newfound will may make things harder at the end.

Zoro felt powerless, and he knew his captain was feeling the same. And it wasn't even that they weren't strong enough! If they hadn't fallen for that trap (now obvious in hindsight), they would have literally blown the enemy out of the water. That fact chaffed the most.

Silence stretched between the two for a long time afterwards. Neither wanted to voice their darker thoughts, yet neither was able to fake any optimism. There was no sound in their prison save for their breathing and the steady drip-dripping of forming stalactites. Zoro must have fallen asleep, because it felt like at least an hour had passed before Luffy spoke again.

"You know, I've thought it out," Luffy began in a quiet voice that carried a peace to it that set Zoro's teeth on edge. "And I think I'm okay with dying."

_What if I'm not? _Zoro wondered, and then felt shocked for thinking it. Luffy continued, not noticing the perturbed air surrounding his friend.

"I've already become the Pirate King, after all. I accomplished my dream. I know the others are strong enough to keep following their dreams as well." It physically hurt to hear the smile in the other man's voice. Zoro had to grit his teeth in order to prevent himself from making some scathing reply. Like how were they supposed to follow their dreams with no one to lead them towards them? Luffy fatalism bothered Zoro more than his earlier denial.

There was a scuffle and Luffy's voice suddenly sounded closer, like he was leaning against the bars, taking Zoro into his confidence by moving as close to the other as possible. "You've just got to make sure they get away from here so they have a chance to do it, okay Zoro?"

Zoro's head jerked to the side, seeing a thin arm stretched through the bars and out towards him. Zoro swallowed and pushed his own arm through the bars. He quietly hooked two fingers around Luffy's, feeling a calmness settle over him.

"Are you kidding?" Zoro snorted softly, titling his head back and smacking it lightly against the wall, perhaps imagining a dark head there instead. "They'll probably want to kill me too. Even if they don't," he shrugged, though he knew the other couldn't see it. "I'll be under such a heavy guard that they'll fill me full of holes if I even breathe funny. So I doubt I'll be much help aside from a nice, violent distraction." He finished with a grin, not adding that sky would fall into the sea before he'd leave his captain alone to his fate.

"Don't be silly." Luffy laughed. "You've only been the greatest swordsman for two months. If you died now, think of how stupid you'd look."

Zoro scratched at the healing wounds given to him by Mihawk. None were life threatening this time around, and most were nearly healed up (though Zoro guessed he wasn't doing them any favors sitting here in the dank and dirt).

"I guess you're right." Zoro forced himself to chuckle. He still couldn't believe he had beaten Hawk-Eyes. Those weeks ago seemed like a shadow of a dream. It was beginning to feel like he'd spent his whole life in this cave.

The sound of a door screeching open interrupted any further conversation. Zoro slowly pulled his hand away as he listened to the approaching footsteps. There seemed to be more guards than what was called for to throw a few stale hunks of bread. This was either the end, or the opportunity they had been waiting for. Zoro leaned back; forcing himself to stay relaxed while hoping his reflexes were still sharp enough to take care of the rest.

Six marines bearing rifles and wearing guarded expressions appeared into view, passing Luffy's cage to stand before his own. Zoro stared dispassionately into the gun barrels pointed at him but made sure not to make any sudden moves. There was no point getting wounded and wasting any chance to break free, after all.

"Roronoa Zoro. Stand up and face the wall." The chief officer ordered. Zoro raised and eyebrow but quietly did as he was told. "Now put your hands behind you and walk slowly backwards."

Zoro allowed himself to be handcuffed as a second guard took out a set of keys to unlock his cell. His breathing hitched; this is the first time that door had been opened since he'd been thrown in here. He had no idea where these marines planned on taking him but maybe they did have a chance.

And maybe this was his execution squad. Which meant that this might be their _last_ chance. Zoro grimaced as a needle pierced his arm. Their drugs kicked in fast; he had only minutes before its effects overtook him. Zoro forced himself to stay calm, effecting to look lethargic even. His only hope was to catch these men off guard.

Zoro waited until he was pulled out into the small corridor. Three guards still had their rifles trained on him. The leader's gun was lowered as he slowly maneuvered Zoro backwards. Seeing an opening, Zoro intentionally stumbled and bumped into the guard who had opened the cell. He heard the guy curse and the sound keys dropping to the stone floor. In that split second, Zoro attacked.

In a move that would have made Sanji proud, Zoro's foot swung out and swiped the legs out from under the man fumbling for the keys. Without losing momentum his leg rose up and around and slammed into the lead guard's chest, sending him sprawling back and into his three fellows. They all went down in a tangle of guns and limbs. Quickly, Zoro's foot dropped down and slipped into the metal ring around the keys and kicked. The keys flew up into the air, brushing the low ceiling before beginning their descent. They didn't fall far before Zoro leaned in, catching them between his teeth.

"Ruffy--!" the ring muffled the name as Zoro whirled around, elation giving him a much-needed boost of adrenaline. Spying his captain, he froze, his eyes widening.

Luffy was cuffed to his cell bars, his arms twisted behind his back. The sixth guard –the one that Zoro stupidly forgot to account-- for stood behind his captain, a long dagger held to his neck. Luffy's teeth were clenched and his brows drawn down in anger. His jugular bulged out clearly against the gleaming blade of the knife. Zoro swallowed a curse. The guard was wild-eyed and shaking. One wrong move and Luffy would get his throat slit.

"D-drop them!" the man ordered, nodding to the keys to their freedom. Zoro felt the other guards finally sort themselves out and start to regain their feet. Opening his mouth, Zoro let the keys drop, his eyes never leaving the knife and its hostage.

Seeing the murderous expression on his Zoro's face, the guard hastily pulled the knife away, like a kid caught lifting from the cookie jar. Zoro's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. He watched Luffy's head sag and couldn't tell if it was because of the seastone, the drugs, or Zoro's failure. He could only hope it wasn't the latter.

The sedative was starting to sink in; Zoro's hands and feet had become numb. His eyes suddenly felt heavy. His mind was fogging up. It was hard to think…. He needed to think, damn it! He had to get them out of here! Zoro wished he had his swords. He wished his arms were free. He wished that shitty cook had taught him that antimatter kick of his. He wished this whole goddamned series of caves wasn't made up of bloody seastone!

The man with the dagger waved it around wildly and took a threatening step forward. His mistake. Zoro suddenly darted forward. Panicking, the guard brought the knife up to pierce the pirate's chest, but somehow Zoro was quicker. He slid smoothly to the side and made a move for the knife. With a jaw conditioned to for the strength to wield a sword, Zoro's teeth clamped down on the man's hand. The guard screamed but didn't release the blade. Zoro continued his momentum and forced the arm around so the dagger now pointed towards the guard's own body.

Wide-eyed, the man shook his head, a string of desperate pleas rising up and catching in his throat. Zoro's eyes narrowed but he pressed onward, driving the blade down and deep into the man's thigh. The man gave a choking cry before collapsing.

"You're not worth it." Zoro spat, even as his anger was urging him to finish the job.

He dodged to the right as another guard hurtled towards him with a syringe of tranquilizer held tightly in one fist. The man fell heavily upon the cell, his outstretched arm sliding smoothly into the space between the bars. Zoro booted him sidewise and heard the wet crack of breaking bone as the pinned arm suddenly took on an unnatural angle. His eyes searched the guard for second set of keys, but man's belt was empty. Zoro's eyes hurriedly cast about the floor.

Zoro was tackled from behind before he could turn around. He fell under a barrage of kicks and punches, not bothering to try and defend himself, his only concern in locating the fallen keys. He spotted a glint of silver just as more guards joined in on the dog pile. Zoro took the extra weight stoically, his neck stretching out desperately towards the metal ring holding those precious keys.

An elbow slammed across his head, busting his mouth over the stone floor. A steel-shod boot kicked the keys away before strong hands grabbed at Zoro's arms and hauled him upright. The guards, cursing angrily, shoved him into the bars of Luffy's cell so hard they vibrated from the impact.

The bars were nothing but vertical blurs this close up, thin and seemingly fragile looking. Zoro's eyes narrowed.

_I don't want to die, Zoro._

Right. He wasn't going to waste this chance. Zoro abruptly pulled back, as far as the restraining hands would allow, before savagely slamming himself into the bars again.

Arms cuffed behind him, Zoro drove his body against the stone bars with brutal force. Again and again he slammed himself into them, his vision narrowing to a single point before him. All thoughts fled, replaced by only the burning desire to free the person on the other side. The drugs in his system shut down his mind until it was running on animalistic instinct alone.

Bones fractured; skin broke and bled under the impact. People were shouting at him, trying to hold him back: threatening to shoot, to maim, to kill. Needles stabbed into his arms and back, but Zoro wasn't even aware of them. Like a wounded bear, he threw himself unto the stone with a tortured roar. More men came down, drawn by the commotion. They fell upon him, restraining him, holding by the shoulders, gripping him around the waist.

Undeterred, Zoro tucked in his chin and drove his forehead into the bars instead. His skull crashed against the stone over and over until blood poured down his face in such alarming amount that even Luffy was yelling for him to stop.

Something hard struck the side of Zoro's head, causing stars to explode into his vision. Everything suddenly went dark.

[weakness

Luffy didn't dare to breathe as their chance to escape came and went on the edge of a knife. The cell keys dropped to the ground and Luffy's heart dropped with them.

It hurt not to be able to help, even just to defend himself. Luffy hated the seastone bars against his back and the cuffs binding his wrists. At his level, even that wouldn't normally be enough to stop him. But this place was different. The walls, the floor, the ceiling; it all gave off that same sickening aura of the cursed rock. There was just too much of it. Luffy's body was overwhelmed.

The drugs pumping through his blood didn't help. Luffy grit his teeth as he fought to stay awake. He was dimly aware of the knife being withdrawn. These guards would have been a cinch to take care of under normal circumstances. They weren't anything special, not like his crew. Any other time, Luffy could have taken them all down with one Gomu Whip. It was almost embarrassing to be held so easily. Luffy's head fell forward, his neck suddenly unable to support it.

Zoro should have just escaped without him. Zoro could have gone and freed the others and then come back for him. He wouldn't have wanted to, but he would have gone. (Captain's Orders was a play the swordsman always folded to.) Too late for that now, Luffy thought, his vision starting to fuzz pleasantly at the edges. He snapped back to the present upon hearing one of the guard's pained screams.

Luffy forced his gaze sideways, his head almost too heavy to move. The guards were back up and currently tossing Zoro around roughly. Luffy's mouth pulled into a thin line and he silently vowed that those guys would see the business end of his fists before all was done. He watched as Zoro got pulled up and thrown against his cell. Luffy felt the bars behind him shudder. He couldn't see Zoro's face from this angle. Was Zoro okay? Was he mad that Luffy got held hostage? He didn't want Zoro to be mad at him. Luffy frowned. It was getting harder to think… he just wanted to nap….

A second impact rattled the bars with much greater force then before. This time it wasn't the guards' doing. Luffy's eyes widened, the drug-induce fog lifting abruptly. He could only stare in shock as Zoro hurled himself against his prison with single-minded violence.

Any warmth Luffy would normally feel at the swordsman's regard fell away at the sheer savageness of his actions. Standing there, watching his mate injure himself in an attempt to reach him, felt like the worst torture he could ever endure. Zoro was trying so hard…. And all he could do was stand there. Luffy bit his lip, his chest heaving as he strained against his bonds.

There were more guards now, all trying to fight and force the swordsman down. Needles were stabbed into Zoro's arms and neck and legs, so many that Luffy wondered if it weren't dangerous to give a man that much of a drug. The guards had a good grip on him now but still, Zoro didn't stop. Watching Zoro's blood splatter across the floor as his head slammed repeatedly into the bars, Luffy found he couldn't take it anymore. He started screaming at the other man, not even knowing what he was saying, just that he wanted it to stop. He wanted Zoro to stop hurting himself because of him. He would rather just give up; he'd rather die than be forced to watch this.

In the end it took the butt of a rifle slamming against Zoro's temple to stop his rampage. Against that, and all the sedatives now in Zoro's system, his body finally gave out. Luffy was disturbed to find himself relieved.

"Luffy…." Zoro mumbled as he slid to the floor, his head leaving twin crimson streaks against the bars as he fell. Luffy discovered that he was shaking. His hands clenched so tightly it had strained the tendons with a stabbing ache. There were little half-moon cuts on his palms, dripping beads of blood that fell to the floor and merged with Zoro's own.

The men around them panted for breath. Some kicked at Zoro's still form angrily. But most stared in fear and horror at the bars to the Pirate King's cell. Because, underneath the gore, lay a spider web of cracks across the supposedly indestructible seastone. It probably would have killed him, but if given a few more minutes, Pirate Hunter Zoro might have actually busted through.

Why? Why had Zoro gone off like that? Luffy didn't understand. Zoro was steadfast: as unmoving as a mountain, even in the face of death. So why was this different? Luffy's chest felt tight and his eyes stung, as if his body knew what his head did not. He slid to his knees, despite the twinge of pain in his shoulders from the awkward angle of his arms. The guards' voices were a distant buzz in his ears, and Luffy had to force himself to pay attention.

"Shit. We can't take him out there like this." The lead guard cursed. Luffy watched grimly as a booted foot toed Zoro's head to the aside. The swordsman's face was a mask of blood. "We've got to clean him up."

"I'm not doing it," someone else cried. "That guy's crazy!"

"Relax." The captain barked. "It'll be fine as long as he's sedated. You three, take the injured up to get patched up. Come back with some more tranquilizers, and tell the doc not to be stingy with them. It took six shots for this guy to go down, I'm not taking anymore chances."

"What if he starts up again? He's a demon, there'll be no stopping him!"

"If he tries anything, shoot him."

Luffy's breath caught, almost choking him. He began tugging at his cuffs again, trying to squeeze ordinary flesh and bone through the gap in stone.

"But, our orders--"

"I'm aware of them. But I'm not willing to let myself, or my men, die merely for propriety's sake. If Roronoa Zoro attacks again, I'm ordering you to shoot him until he's dead. Now go rinse him off. They're expecting him at the square."

Luffy froze, that last sentence dousing him like ice water. He shot clumsily to his feet. "Wait! Where are you taking Zoro?" he demanded.

"Should we give the Strawhat another dose, Captain? Just in case?"

"Hmm, better to be safe…. Go ahead."

Luffy ignored them in favor of craning his head back to watch two of the guards lift Zoro's unconscious form and begin to drag him down the hall. A needle bit into his shoulder and he shrugged it away like a fly, whipping his head round to the opposite side as Zoro left his line of vision. The other guards filed away after them, none sparing Luffy even a look.

"Where are you taking him?" Luffy strained against his bonds, fighting against the blackness that was slowly overtaking him. His shouts echoed desolately through the empty corridor. "Stop! Bring him back! Zoro! ZORO!"

[drugged

Zoro woke on his knees under a spray of scalding hot water. He was chained to a large rusty pipe, still fully clothed. His wounds stung under the assault and his skin had turned an angry red. Steam roiled around him before rising up into the high ceilings. The place was large and open; it looked to be some sort of communal shower, probably for the petty officers. Zoro tried to gather his wits about him, watching dully as the blood rinsed from his body and swirled slowly down the drain.

As much as the water burned, deep down Zoro basked in the feeling. After being shut in so long in that dank cave, he could only kneel there and soak in the heat. It was as if he hadn't known how cold he was until this very moment.

Because he couldn't move his arms to scrub himself clean, Zoro tilted his head around to let the stinging spray hit each side of his head until he felt most of the blood and dirt run out of his hair and off his face. His face felt like a swollen sponge and he knew that no amount of bathing would help the fact the he looked like he'd been put through a meat grinder, but he wasn't doing this for vanity. He had been held in a hole in the ground where the only toilet was a moldy bucket in the corner; truth be told, he was sick of smelling himself.

The water also helped wake him up, let him shake off some of the grogginess caused by the tranquilizer. Everything felt slowed down. Not the quickest thinker at the best of times, Zoro now had push his thoughts through his head one word at a time. He gave his chains and experimental tug. They felt dishearteningly sturdy. With the amount of drugs pumping through his system, Zoro wasn't even sure he could stand on his own, let alone run away. It looked like he could forget about escaping for now.

Where was Luffy? Did they take him too? Zoro hated not knowing. He wished whoever put him in here would hurry up come get him. The water wasn't getting any cooler and he was starting to feel like one of Sanji's lobster dishes. The steam felt suffocating and his legs were starting to cramp up from his awkward crouch on the hard ceramic floor.

Besides, he wasn't going to get any cleaner without a pumice stone and an industrial sized cake of soap. Most of the blood and soil had rinsed off his skin, but his once white shirt now looked like a mottled camouflage of grey and pink. Another set of clothes ruined. Damn it, he was sick of owing the wench money.

If this was all some big preparation for his execution, he wished they'd just skip the hygiene concerns and give him a nice last meal or (more preferably) a bottle of booze. The so-called bread they've been throwing them had tasted like old wood, and the water was so foul they might have been better off sucking the moisture off the walls.

Damn, he'd once went three weeks without food or water. When had he gotten so spoiled off that shitty Love Cook's food?

Had he been killed? What about the others? Were they dead: executed? Were Luffy and he all that was left? The thought caused something his chest to tighten uncomfortably. If that were true, Zoro thought darkly, he swore he'd get revenge. If he had to he'd tear this island apart until not a single marine was left breathing.

No. He couldn't do that.

That job would belong to his captain. But he'd definitely find a good spot to watch.

Zoro had stared death in the face many times, had seen his friends suddenly pull out of situations where they'd stood just a hairsbreadth from dying. Death was no stranger to any of them, since even before some crazy rubber kid pulled them all together to become pirates. But this kind of death, being coldly and systematically exterminated, it just wasn't right. Not for them.

Luffy didn't want to die. He knew the others felt the same, if they were still alive. And Zoro needed to survive long enough to keep it from happening. If it wasn't too late. If he hadn't already failed…

But Luffy was still alive. That fact alone was enough reason to keep on breathing.

A door opened behind him and Zoro twisted around to watch a single guard step in. The man met his eyes uncomprehendingly until something evidentially clicked. Looking like he'd seen his own ghost, the guard whirled around and flew back through the door, screaming 'he's awake!' at the top of his lungs. The door slammed closed behind him.

Zoro spent a few more minutes in silence, his fingers slowly pruning under the spray. When the door opened next Zoro counted no less then fifteen heavily armed men, each one struggling _not_ to be the first one into the room. When they finally filed through, one last figure walked in, standing out from the others by the long white overcoat he wore. The man also happened to be carrying a bloody huge syringe that Zoro didn't like the look of one bit.

"Look," Zoro would have raised his hands in supplication had they not been shackled behind his back. "I swear I'll come peacefully. Just don't stick me again." It was starting to make him feel nauseous, Zoro realized as his stomach churned. One more shot and he might chuck up his boots.

In answer, fifteen rifles rose to point at various vital bits of his anatomy. Zoro sighed inwardly and tried to appear as non-threatening as possible, which wasn't too off the mark since he couldn't feel his lower extremities. But to judge by the tense faces staring down at him, even chained, drugged and soaking wet was too intimidating for a single squad of marines.

"We've got him covered, Doc," The head officer from earlier spoke up. "Go ahead and do your thing."

The doctor stepped forward, looking wary but curious. "I don't see how someone can just shake off so large an amount of sedative. But this here should be strong enough to leave him as docile as a kitten for hours. However I must warn you, Captain, such a potent cocktail could possibly stop the man's heart."

"I'll take that chance, Doc." The man stated grimly, taking too little time to think things out for Zoro's comfort. "The highest order of the World Government is sitting out there; we can't afford for this guy to go ballistic. They want him conscious for questioning. We just want him not to be a threat."

"As you wish."

The doctor approached Zoro carefully, like one would a wounded tiger. The needle was held at ready as the man murmured a soothing string of nonsense. Zoro jerked against his restraints, his fight or flight instincts overriding his common sense (which pointed out that it probably wasn't the best idea to shake up a bunch of trigger-happy marines that didn't care if he died right then and there). Despite his nerved-up fidgeting, the needle didn't miss its mark and smoothly pierced the thin skin on the inside of his elbow. Zoro didn't even feel the prick, but he hissed as the liquid burned through his veins and sped its way upward to his heart. Any relief Zoro might have felt at not dying instantly was dulled as the drug quickly took affect. The needle hadn't even left his arm before the room blurred and spun before falling away into darkness.

[duty

Vivi was trying hard not to cry. This past week had been some sort of nightmare. One by one she had been forced to watch her dearest friends get verbally crucified. Chopper, Sanji, Usopp, Nami; they had all been dragged out and cruelly interrogated. Each word was a poisoned dart, aimed to be as painful as possible. At the end of the day her friends were dragged away, their faces scarred and haunted.

Vivi's lower lip was bruised and scabbed from biting it just to keep from screaming. These were her dearest friends; they saved her country. They didn't deserve this. It just wasn't fair. It just wasn't right.

She wanted to stand up and fight, to tear down this foul city brick by brick until she had freed each and every one of the Straw Hat crew. Together with Chaka and Pell she could fight off the enemy long enough for her friends to escape. Biting her nails to the quick, Vivi sat and formed plan after plan, but in the end did nothing. She couldn't.

Her people. Just thinking about her people stayed her hands. Her country had just finished being rebuilt after war nearly tore it asunder. People were finally picking themselves up, forgetting who was rebel and who was royal and living together as a people united. It would be cruel to make them suffer through another war, no matter how righteous the cause. Because that's what Vivi would be doing if she stood up now. Instead, she sat and she watched and she hurt for every friend that was dragged forward for this mockery of a trial.

And this, this was the worst so far.

Roronoa Zoro. Mr. Bushido: A man willing to cut off his own feet in order to keep on fighting. The man who took down over one hundred Baroque Works bounty hunters; who single-handedly defeated Daz Bones, the murderer working directly under Crocodile. A man, strong and honorable. A friend, brave and true.

A man, now beaten and bloody, sitting in a boneless heap, unresponsive with his head bowed and shoulders slumped forward. What had they done to him? This was not the man she knew.

But wait. Zoro's head had just risen up in response to some question. Vivi hadn't even heard what it was, too immersed was she in her own thoughts. But it had gotten a reaction from the swordsman, however slight. Vivi prayed that the flicker of fire she saw in his eyes wasn't just her hopeful imagination. She sat there, fists clenching the fabric of her skirt. Vivi studied Zoro's face with sharp eyes, searching for some sign, anything that would tell her he hadn't given up. They asked him one last question --she paid attention to it this time-- and Zoro's lips moved ever so slightly. No sound came out, but Vivi remembered enough of her training as Miss Wednesday to read what everyone around her had missed.

Tears sprung to her eyes and Vivi had to bite the back of her hand to keep from breaking down. She got her answer. And though it broke every childlike fantasy she had secretly harbored, she found her reassurance. Love always found a way, whether it was love for a single person or an entire country. She would wait quietly on the sideline, have faith and believe in her friends.

But, Vivi wondered to herself as they came and hauled Zoro away, was her faith strong enough? Would her heart hold steady, would her sense of duty hold firm, when Monkey D. Luffy knelt before her? Looking at him, could she really do nothing?

Vivi wondered.

[inquisition

Zoro knelt, his legs unable to hold him. Daylight blinded him, burning colored afterimages into his eyes. He couldn't move, couldn't think. The heat suffocated him. His only respite came from the crisscross of shadows that draped over him. Shadows from a platform made historic when Gol D. Roger breathed his last.

There was a table in front of him. People sat around it, foggy and indistinct. They were talking, saying things Zoro couldn't hear. He could tell by the tone that they were questions. Directed at him, most likely. But he couldn't understand them. Zoro felt someone's gaze upon him. It felt different than the rest; a friend, maybe. Zoro was too tired to tell. He knelt, staring at the ground and willing the blurry grey surface to focus into dust and rocks and broken cobblestones. Slowly, the muted voices around him began to make sense as well.

It was hard to keep track of what the voices were saying. It was like they were speaking a language he was barely fluent in; just one waver in his concentration and the meaning of the words were lost on his drug-addled mind. Even when given a question, Zoro couldn't answer aloud. His tongue felt nailed to the roof of his mouth. His vocal cords may as well have been cut. His body was virtually paralyzed, with nothing to latch on to but the rocks below him and the voices reaching his ears. But their questions stirred something within him and, even if he couldn't speak, Zoro's heart recited the words.

"Why do you fight?" a solemn voice asked.

_I made a promise…_

"You--" the voice broke or Zoro's concentration did, rather. He forced himself to pay attention. "--once a bounty hunter. Why turn pirate?"

…_To be the strongest…_

"You've—atest swordsman. Why do you fight?"

…_For him…_

The voices had turned harsh and demanding. "Why continue this path?" they asked.

Thinking of the man sitting back in those caves, whining for food and talking glibly of death, Zoro found the strength to raise his head. His eyes focused waveringly upon the execution platform, silently promising that Luffy would never meet his end upon such a thing.

"Roronoa Zoro, why do you continue on?"

Zoro's mouth moved, still no sound came out. But, somehow, it felt like enough.

'For him.'

There was a chorus of frustrated voices around him, yet Zoro ceased to pay attention. He would save his strength, bide his time and then, make his move.

"He refuses to say anything," said one voice.

"He's too far gone. You young fools were too generous with your needles," spoke another.

"It doesn't matter." A different voice rose up from the din. "His day draws near."

"You're right. Take him back to his cell."

Zoro was pulled away, dragged as dead weight across the ground. His ears caught one last thing, however, from a voice that sounded as old as time and yet still strong and full of dark power. That one sentence, although he'd been prepared for it, threatened to tear his whole world apart.

"We execute the Pirate King tomorrow…"

[tbc


	2. Chapter 2

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not****read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date._  
Notes: _Thanks for the warm reception given to the first chapter. Everyone's reviews made me smile. Hopefully I continue to please you.

Final Betrayal – Chapter Two

trial 

The sun beat upon the plaza without mercy; the blue void around it held not a wisp of cloud for relief. The heat was a living thing, palpable, unbearable, causing people to collapse in the streets. SO bad was it that the militia was finally ordered to arrest anyone caught out of doors, lest it be for an emergency. Still, more than one kid was caught outside their doorways, frying seagull eggs on the cobblestones.

But that was the least of the Military's problems.

Because even the threat of imprisonment didn't deter the surge of people flooding the streets that day. The living mass moved in a current that swept into the very heart of the city/island of Loguetown. There, in the city plaza, the people congealed: like flotsam. They scurried about, running from group to group like ants as they exchanged rumors and the newest bits of information. Merchant, marine and pirate stood shoulder to shoulder by the thousands, all waiting, all staring up at the towering iron platform --rebuilt from the bones of the original-- upon which knelt the new Pirate King: the infamous Monkey D. Luffy.

Those who showed up early enough (though not so early as to be carted off by the Marines) made up the front section of the mob and therefore got an exclusive peek at the Pirate King's crew, who were corralled to the side of the platform like cattle in an stall made of frost-rimmed ice. But this livestock was considered deadly, and had to be guarded by a retinue of the strongest marines and was overseen by the three admirals themselves: Aokiji, AkaInu and Kizaru.

The pirates were securely bound, hand and foot, by seastone shackles. They not only rendered Devil's Fruit powers inactive and weakened anyone with the Fruit's abilities, but they were also stronger than any steel. This means they were effective bondage to those without Devil's Fruit powers as well, especially with their keys stored safely back in the depths of Loguetown's Marine Headquarters, on the north end of the city.

This was the first time all of them were being held together. There were eight captives in all, ranging wildly in both appearance and size, from monstrous to miniature, beautiful to bizarre. (One of them, the Pirate Hunter Zoro, whispers said, even appeared at times to be asleep!)

Some of them were famous criminals, worth millions in bounty; others were virtually unknown. All, however, were confirmed members of the Straw Hats Pirates, crew of the Pirate King and reputedly the fiercest fighters on the Grand Line-- maybe even the entire world. And (if rumors were correct) the gold ring each wore around their forefingers was part of Gold Roger's legendary treasure: One Piece! Many a man stared at those bands with greed in their eyes as they imagined the fabled mountains of pirate treasure. Had it been left at Raftel? Was it now in the government's hands? Or was it hidden, free to be pursued by those holding a lust for gold and adventure?

The eight pirates stared forward with stoic expressions held firmly on their faces. Every now and then, they could be caught glancing sideways at one another, or murmuring something through tight lips. A careful eye would spot how often shoulders would brush against each other in comfort or how hands clenched after straining to reach out to one another. Most notably, however, was that their eyes, to a one, focused on their captain, a complexity of emotions swimming in their depths.

Eleven jurymen sat at a long table on the diagonal to where the prisoners were held. Six of these appeared thrown together in a slapdash fashion; they were merely old men and women long retired from high military positions. The remainder was comprised of the Five Elder Stars: the old men in the highest position of the government. These men were both feared and respected throughout the entire world and it was a testament to how badly the Straw Hat Pirates were wanted that the elders would oversee their sentencing personally.

Wooden bleachers had been erected in the area just to the left and in front of the main body of the audience. They were the best seats to the show and held foreign dignitaries, important witnesses, and various court bureaucrats. Together with the jury and the prisoners, they formed a rough triangle, with the execution platform creating the topmost point.

A small podium sat in the center of the triangle; this was the witness stand. The raised dais held a den den mushi that let the speakers' words be heard over the distance and din (and some said it was even broadcasting over the Four Seas). The stand was currently empty.

The trial had lasted two weeks: fourteen miserably hot days of long-winded speeches and protests that seemed to go unheeded. Today they were to hand down the sentencing of the Pirate King, to be carried out immediately if Monkey D. Luffy were to be found guilty. That was why the streets were crowded, even though the heat was causing many a person to collapse where they stood. But no one dared leave because no one had any doubts about the Pirate King's fate. Not even the heartfelt entreaty of Nefertari Vivi, Princess of Alabasta, seemed likely to sway the World Government from convicting the young man that knelt proudly upon the towering iron platform. The government played judge, jury and executioner and there seemed to be none to oppose them.

A pair of marines suddenly appeared, pushing and shoving through the milling throng with great effort before finally breaking free of the crowd. Ignoring curious eyes all around, they approached with measured tread 'til they stood before their commanding officer. The man in question was old and grizzled, but still looked more than hearty enough to be a match for most pirates. A giant, scowling dog's image covered his head, hiding his eyes from view as he guarded the perimeter nearest to the dignitaries. He didn't have to work very hard. Anyone out of their diapers knew of Vice Admiral Garp and his explosive temper. Consequently, the surrounding crowd gave him wide berth.

One of the marines stepped forward and saluted briskly. The ray-band across his eyes reflected a distorted image of Garp's dogface. "Sir, there was no trace of the missing member of the Straw Hat crew."

"Is that so?" Garp murmured as he scratched his beard.

"By all accounts the Gentleman Swordsman Brook should be easy to spot." The other soldier added; his face a bit too pale for the day's heat. "He is, after all, a walking skeleton." His incongruous pink hair trembled in concert with his quavering voice.

"Hmm…" Garp eyes rose to stare at the captives thoughtfully. "Keep an eye out then."

The shorter one gave the execution platform a troubled glance.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Ensign Coby?"

"Luffy—I mean, S-straw Hat Luffy… will he really--? Are we truly--?" the young marine couldn't seem to get the words out, his expression pained.

"Just do your job, soldier," Garp told him, not unkindly.

"Yes sir!" Both men saluted and disappeared into the crowd once more.

"Aren't you going to put a stop to this?" Garp asked after a moment, his words aimed at a cloaked figure hiding in the shadow of the bleachers.

"If this truly is his destiny…" Dragon spoke in low but determined tones. "It's not my place to stop it."

The admiral frowned. "I see."

"What of you?" Dragon pressed on. "Are you okay with letting your grandson be executed?"

For one brief moment true grief could be seen in Garp's eyes. "My hands are tied." He answered his son, his voice sounding unusually old and weary. The shadowy presence remained at his back for a moment before vanishing. Garp sighed, and turned his attention to the square.

A pasty, thin man had stepped out onto the small center podium. He was the main speaker for the trial proceedings, acting like a ringmaster for this judiciary circus. Mostly he seemed one strong gust of wind away from collapsing.

He cleared his throat and mopped at his face with a sodden handkerchief. The noise echoed across the square, startling everyone into silence. The den den mushi acted as a loudspeaker for everyone in the audience to hear. It also broadcasted the trial to den dens all across the ocean.

"Hahumm…" The man's voice warbled and cracked constantly. "We will now hear the testimony of the final member of the Straw Hat crew."

voice

Smoker ground his teeth together. He was hot and irritable. The pirates weren't going anywhere, so all _he_ had to do was just stand there and sweat. Nothing was happening; the judges were taking their damn time getting things moving. The crowd was annoyingly loud. AkuInu was being an ass. And, to top it all, they had taken away his cigars because of some bullshit excuse of _propriety._

Smoker slowly stewed. He had nothing to do damn it! Nothing but think. And he was starting to think about things he'd prefer not to linger over: Like this stupid trial.

If the situation weren't so serious, it'd be laughable. The testimonies were a joke. Each member of the Straw Hat crew got the chance to step up and speak their piece: all to help defend Strawhat and his actions, both past and present. But, because they were pirates and were the crew of the Pirate King to boot, all their statements were disregarded as being untrustworthy.

In turn each member of the crew had been mercilessly cross-examined, the old men ripping open painful wounds from the past without shame or purpose. Dreams were mocked; tragedies were dragged into the harsh light of day, all in the name of justice. It didn't take Smoker long to figure out that it was all just a cruel act to break the pirate's spirits. This group has been giving the government trouble since day one, and now the government finally got to have revenge. This last one wouldn't be any different. It made him sick.

The most recently acquired member of the Straw Hats was also the youngest. The kid had a mop of curly brown hair and an angry looking scar crossing half his throat. Smoker watched as two marines dragged him towards the small wooden podium. The boy was reportedly only about eight years old, and some sort of mechanical wizard. He'd heard that kid had taken down a surprising number of marines before his capture.

It had been an ambush. They had taken the kid first; threatened to execute him. The other Straw Hats surrendered immediately. Smoker knew that the higher ups only took the brat because they were losing. They tried to cover it up, of course, but it was already widely believed that without the boy as a hostage, the Marines would've never been able to take down the Pirate King and his crew. Smoker wondered when the Marines had become so dirty. That tactic was crass and underhanded. Had they always worked like this?

Smoker heard of Strawhat's capture and immediately sailed back to his hometown and insisted on acting as bailiff for the trial. The old men had been reluctant, but he had persisted 'til they finally gave in. Smoker had to see how this played out; he had to know where justice sided. Who were the good guys? The bad? Smoker thought he knew, once. Over the years the lines seemed to have blurred. Smoker stood with his back facing the prisoners and thought about right and wrong.

The kid had to be hoisted on top of the podium to even be seen. He wore a fierce expression as he stared down the court of judges. But Smoker's sharp eyes caught how his frown trembled. His anger-filled eyes were heavy with tears, leaving half the audience remarking on the atrocities of a pirate forcing such a young child into service, while the other half muttered darkly about the underhanded techniques of the Marines. The boy had not talked once since his capture, no matter what cruel words or methods were enforced. Smoker privately believed the scar on the lad's neck had left him mute. He was a bit surprised, therefore, at what happened next.

The boy took a deep, indrawn breath. "LET LUFFY GO!" he screamed.

Behind him, the Straw Hat pirates gave out a collective gasp. Apparently Smoker hadn't been the only one to make assumptions.

"H-he talked!" exclaimed the one called Nami the Cat Thief, her brown eyes wide.

The brat's actions somehow managed to lighten the pall hanging over the pirates. They all regarded the boy with looks ranging from amazed to speculating. The tension holding them quiet had snapped. They began talking amongst themselves as if they weren't bound in chains, waiting for their captain to be run through. Smoker watched them from the corner of his eye.

"I thought as much," said Nico Robin, looking quietly pleased. At her side the toy reindeer piped up with some shrill question that hurt Smoker's ears.

"Hey kid!" The long-nosed man, Usopp (who was recently discovered to be the dangerous criminal Sogeking) called out. "You mean you could talk all this time?"

The boy ignored them in favor of turning watery eyes towards the figure up high upon the platform in front of him.

"Luffy! I'm sorry!" Against his will, the boy began to cry. "You--you got caught because of me. I broke my promise… I'm… I'm not a good pirate…."

Smoker shifted uncomfortably. He'd known this situation would somehow turn sickeningly emotional. Bah. He couldn't stand tears….

"STUPID!" Came the cry from above. Smoker looked up, and had to fight to keep from smirking. That Strawhat was something else, all right. Smoker would almost –_almost_-- be sad to see him executed. "YOU'RE A STRAW HAT! YOU'RE THE BEST DAMN PIRATE ON THE OCEAN!"

"Oiy," Usopp muttered. "What about us?"

"Idiot…." Black Leg Sanji muttered. Smoker wasn't sure if he was referring to the sniper or his captain.

The kid's eyes had widened. He began scrubbing furiously at his face, trying to erase all trace of tears with his chained arms. He then gave a mighty grin, fierce even with a missing tooth. "You're damn right I am!"

"Brat's got a mouth on him…" the blond cook smirked. Every one in the pen looked at the kid with smiling faces. Smoker shook his head. They were all idiots.

One of the judges jerked his head and the boy was hauled away (kicking and biting) back to the group. Once the clamor died down Strawhat spoke again.

"I'll make you a deal!" the Pirate King called down in a strong and steady voice.

"A deal?" the judges repeated amongst themselves. Below, the audience fell quiet, straining to absorb every word.

"Let my crew go…" Luffy's face broke out into an unnerving grin. Smoker recognized that look of self-assurance and tensed, his hand automatically reaching back for his seastone-tipped jutte. "…And I won't kick your asses."

A stunned silence followed the lanky man's words. Then the crowd began to laugh. It was scattered at first but quickly grew into an all out roar that was half jeers and half whistles and cheering. The old men on the jury stared mutely at each other and up at the Pirate King, each one quivering in suppressed anger.

Smoker snorted, which was about as close as he came to busting out laughing.

king

Luffy stared down at the crowd below him. There had to be at least a half a million people down there. He was proud that he got such a good turnout. Everyone was here: Smoker, Coby and Gramps, Vivi, even that weirdo Aokiji. Sure he was gonna die, but it was nice to see the people he'd met on his adventures show up to see him off.

His crew was being held off to the side, surrounded by marines. They looked a little roughed up, but it seemed like they were all okay, which gave Luffy no measurable amount of relief. They all stared up at him with bleak expressions that didn't look right on their faces. Except for Zoro, who was propped up somewhat away from the others and surrounded by a bunch of guards. Zoro hadn't looked up at him even once. In fact, he looked like he was asleep! Luffy's cheeks puffed out in irritation.

Luffy had woken up when the guards had carried Zoro in and threw him back into his cell. Luffy had called over to him but had gotten no response. His swordsman looked beat up, but no more than usual. The tranquilizers always put Zoro out, but never for long.

He had called to Zoro throughout the night, but Zoro never answered. That had Luffy worried.

Feeling worried made him feel strung out. Tense and frustrated, his eyes bore down on his mate. The others would need Zoro's help to escape. But if Zoro couldn't do it, Luffy would have to. The government really only wanted him, there was no reason for everyone else to have to die. Everyone depended on him. In the end, they were Luffy's responsibility-- all of them. They were his treasures, his family; and it was up to him to protect them. He was the Pirate King, after all.

The kid cried out to him, and Luffy was happy to be able to officially declare the boy a member of his crew. He liked the kid a lot and he seems to just _fit_, without ever saying a word. And he was a pretty good pirate to boot, even at eight years old. One day he might even become the next Pirate King. Wouldn't that be cool?

Luffy was alone on the platform except for his two executioners and their long nodachi blades. Luffy's hands and feet were bound with seastone cuffs but, being finally out of that cave, he felt stronger than ever. He stared down at his crew, and the hundreds of rifles pointed at them. Too bad they hadn't eaten a Rubber Fruit too. If he was going to help them, he couldn't just break out into battle mode; someone he cared about could get hurt. No, it would take 'a Plan' to save his friends. And Luffy had a plan.

The head government guys called harshly for order after the crowd broke out in applause. Luffy's grin widened, happy to see most of them were on his side. Eventually the catcalls were quieted and the youngest of the Elder Stars –a large man with platinum hair and a scar on his chest— rose to speak.

"You're surrounded by a thousand troops." He called up with a sneer. Luffy found himself not liking the man. "You are bound by seastone, unable to use your Devil Fruit powers, your friends and crew are being held at gunpoint; what could you possibly do?"

Luffy gave a menacing grin and the muscles in his arm stood out. Sweat poured and his face turned red with strain, but with the tiniest snick, a hairline crack appeared on the supposedly unbreakable cuffs. The crowd gasped. Luffy's guards each took a step backwards and nearly fell off the platform in the process.

"You can do whatever you want with me," Luffy told the man, expression serious. "Just let my crew go."

"Luffy!" Usopp cried out, sounding upset. His crew stared up at him, mutiny on their faces. Luffy was happy that they cared so much. That's why he had to save them.

Off to the side, the jury deliberated loudly among themselves.

"I think we should consider his offer."

"Are you crazy? These are the most wanted criminals in the world. We can't just let them go!"

"But look what he did to those cuffs!"

It was gonna work. Luffy felt pleased. He didn't get a chance to be crafty very often, Nami and the others being more of the planning type. Well, except Zoro. He also liked to rush headlong into things without thinking, (That's probably why they got along so well.) and maybe Franky, whose answer to everything is to blow it up. Luffy's plans normally involved meat and how to get it, but this kind of plan was fun too. Maybe the others will let him come up with plans more often.

Wait. He's going to die today. Luffy sighed. Right. Never mind….

The jury seemed to come to a decision. Which meant the five old guys had yelled and threatened and intimidated the other six into silence. Their leader then stood. He was super tall and skinny –like Aokiji— but older and balder. His hand buried in his long beard and both brow and voice were lowered as he spoke, his words almost seeming for Luffy alone.

"Roronoa Zoro and Nico Robin are scheduled to be executed pending their individual trials. The rest of your crew, save the child and the pet,"

Chopper let out a squeak of outrage.

"Are destined to life imprisonment in Impel Down." His voice gained volume and pitch as he addressed the rest of the people in the square. "We cannot allow these brigands to be freed! They represent the worst order of crime and lawlessness. They take what they want with no regard to people of government. They are deadly vines choking our flowering society and they must be culled!"

A good portion of the crowd started cheering. Luffy's heart sunk. The old man whirled to face Luffy once more, his face flushed with conviction and his voice raised as if to call down the heavens themselves.

"We will not tolerate your intimidation tactics, Pirate King!" The name was spit out like something foul. "Try something like that again and we will forego the trial and shoot one of your crew on the spot!"

Luffy's teeth clenched as he stared down at the man angrily. How dare he threaten his friends!

"Further more, having heard the last of the testimonies, this trial hereby comes to an end!" The old man stalked over to the podium and shoved the sputtering announcer to the side. He leaned forwards slightly, making sure to speak clearly into the receiver of the den den mushi.

"Monkey D. Luffy, you have been tried as the Pirate King for crimes, and conspiracy to commit crimes, against the government. Such crimes include but are not limited to piracy, racketeering, theft, assault, trespassing and treason. Tell me, how do you plead?"

The entire plaza went silent. Every ear strained to catch what very well might be the Pirate King's last words. The last time a Pirate King spoke, the entire world changed, transforming into an era of pirates. Now, every person wondered what new world Monkey D. Luffy's death will usher in.

Luffy's gaze roamed the crowd, his eyes dark under the shadows of his bangs. The sun shined down on everything with an almost blinding radiance. Luffy took a deep breath, relishing in the air filling his lungs.

"I…"

He would miss breathing, the sharp bite of being alive. He'd miss the thrill of the fight and the satisfaction of overcoming his own limitations. He would miss his friends, the endless adventures. He would miss all the laughter. A deeper part of him (a part kept closer to the chest) would miss things like the sharp tang of steel and sweat, and the warm, damp feeling of laughter against his ear.

"I'm…"

But most of all, more that anything, he'd miss…

"I'm hungry."

_Food._

Oh glorious meat! How would he ever live without it?

That's right, he wouldn't. He kept forgetting. That made things a bit more bearable then.

The deathly silence lasted three more long seconds before being broken unanimously

"Ehhhhh?" The ground shook with the force of thousands of people suddenly falling on their faces. Luffy blinked owlishly, wondering what was everyone's problem. As one, his crew slapped their palms across their foreheads, emitting a chorus of groans.

The old man's face was dark as he listened to the laughter spreading out across the crowd. He twisted to face his group. "Fellow jurymen, how do you find the defendant?"

"Guilty."

"Guilty!"

One by one, the old men began to stand, death in their eyes and Luffy's fate on their lips. The merriment of the audience faded, replaced by a heavy shroud of somber quiet as grim faces looked on.

"I find him guilty of all charges."

"Monkey D. Luffy is guilty."

Luffy swallowed heavily as ten separate men stood and declared his guilt. He looked over at his crew, who stared back in horror. Luffy wanted to smile at them in reassurance, but for some reason couldn't find the strength. The jury slowly retook their seats, until the last one standing was the old man from before, their leader, their spokesman, and Luffy's executioner.

"Guilty." The word was called out for the eleventh time, making the verdict unanimous. The old man met Luffy's clouded gaze.

"Pirate King, you have been found guilty of all charges. You are sentence to death by beheading right now, on this very day. Today, your life will end, as well as the menace you caused the coalition of the World Government. With your passing, the Great Pirate Era will end, and we will have taken back all you took from us. The World Government will finally be just that, a force that controls and brings order and justice to the entire world."

"You're an idiot if you think that the Age of Pirates will die with me!" Luffy shouted out. His voice carried clearly through the square. Even at the far edge of the island, dogs abruptly stopped barking and birds took flight. The den den mushi took Luffy's words and hurtled them out into the world, where on every island, crowds of people were gathered to catch them. "As long as people have dreams, as long as men yearn for adventure's romance, as long as people live and breathe and love, there will be pirates! You can't execute people's hearts and dreams. You'll never be able to destroy that!"

Luffy panted heavily, out of breath from his unexpected speech. He couldn't help it, after hearing that old man talk, the words just jumped out of his mouth. Luffy froze, his eyes widening slowly.

Applause had broken out. The crowd --the entire crowd-- was cheering. Luffy heard his name being lifted on the wind and his heart flew with it. So this was it. This was how Roger felt. Luffy's mouth stretched into a gigantic smile as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. This feeling…it was terrific. This was how it felt to be Pirate King. It was worth it. It was worth dying just to feel this.

The old man's face was red and blotched with anger. Screaming to be heard above the crowd, he called up to the two men sharing Luffy's platform. "Executioners, perform your task! Bring me that boy's head!"

"Noo!" Somebody screamed. Chopper. Maybe Nami. Funny, but it sounded like it was being echoed from somewhere on the bleachers.

The two guards stared down at their leader, then over to Luffy's grinning face and then finally turning to stare at each other. The crowd was starting to go wild, transforming into a mob that would destroy anything in its path. They both were reminded of stories of the last Pirate King's execution, where the two men that were ordered to do the deed suddenly disappeared one night and were never heard from again. The idea nearly paralyzed them. But they had been given an order. Slowly, with arms made stiff and cold with fear, they raised up their long nodachi swords above the Pirate King's head.

"STOP!" a commanding voice cried out, causing the men to immediately lower their swords safely to the side. Only once this was done did they look down to find that the person who had spoken hadn't been one of their superiors, but a pirate; one of the Straw Hat's, in fact. The two men stared down in awe.

"I have something to say!"

Roronoa Zoro was bound hand and foot, wrapped in chains, injected with enough tranquilizer to knock out an Elbaf giant, and surrounded by his own personal retinue of rifle-bearing marine captains. He was also very much awake and now standing at the front of the enclosure. His deep voice easily broke through the chaos of the crowd, causing the plaza to fall into a silence so sudden that for a moment many thought they had been struck deaf.

High on his perch, Luffy laughed. That Zoro! Always had to wait to the last minute to save the day.

Zoro's voice carried easily to the farthest corners of the square. "Monkey D. Luffy isn't the Pirate King."

Muted gasps and murmurings rolled through the crowd. Luffy's smile fell, confusion entering his eyes. Of course he was the Pirate King! He tried to search his mate's face for some clue. (If this was his plan, it was certainly a strange way to free everyone.) But Zoro was facing the jury, almost pointedly not looking up at him. Luffy felt a sick feeling of dread creep up upon him, and he wasn't entirely sure why.

Zoro stared straight ahead, his face void of all expression. His words were cold and spoken as a matter of fact.

"I am."

Frozen, unable to breathe, Luffy felt his reality shatter.

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not****read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes: _Remember children: nobody dies in One Piece! Not unless it's a flashback, anyway. Save your flames for the coming winter :)

Final Betrayal – Chapter Three

lies

"Monkey D. Luffy isn't the Pirate King."

It seemed the entire world hung on Roronoa Zoro's words.

"…I am."

Pandemonium broke out in the square. The crowd went nuts, pushing and stomping and yelling incoherently. Here and there a low-ranked marine raised his weapon towards the mob, fearing they would revolt. The higher-ups had their hands full trying to keep order among their own men; some didn't even bother trying as they stared, entranced at the unfolding drama. Dignitaries had leapt to their feet, nearly falling off the bleachers as they shouted angrily over top one another. The jury argued amongst themselves. The Five Elder Stars were spread out between them, calling futilely for order.

Off to the side, the rest of the Straw Hat crew had turned and stared at Zoro in horrified silence; shock written clearly across their faces.

Usopp recovered first. He swallowed nervously and attempted to scuttle closer to the swordsman. Zoro was heavily bound, more so than the rest of them. Thick chains wrapped around his waist, securing his arms in place—like their guards had feared the seastone shackles binding his hands and feet weren't enough.

Usopp searched Zoro's face questioningly. The other man didn't look well. Zoro's face was pale, clashing with his odd sea-colored hair. His lips were bloodless and tinged green around the corners. Twin spots brightened the swordsman's cheeks and his forehead was red and blotched with fever. His eyes were so sunken and shadowed that it looked as if he were wearing his old bandanna. All these things together made Zoro seem like one of Hogback's Zombies, making Usopp shudder to look at him.

His eyes. His eyes were definitely the worst. They seemed clear and unfevered but…they were empty.

"Zoro, what are you doing?" Nami demanded with a hiss, having finally found her tongue.

Zoro's empty gaze swept over them, like he didn't really see them.

"Just keep your mouths shut," he ordered, his voice low and quiet. To Usopp it sounded cold: dead. The sniper felt a shiver of premonition fizzle up his spine. He spared a worried glance up to the platform.

Behind them, a wall of ice suddenly grew a meter up from the ground, arcing in front of the crowd and preventing them from pushing forward.

"Aokiji…" Robin murmured, looking over to the metal chair where the admiral sat with apparent unconcern. While AkaInu --despite his age-- looked ready to stroll out and bust some heads, Aokiji was as unruffled as if he were sitting in a garden party. The third admiral, Kizaru, stood somewhere behind them, out of sight although his weighty stare was felt at their backs.

Smoker shoved past his slack-jawed subordinates to stand before the pirates (in front of Zoro, specifically). The scowl on his face could have cracked stone as he stared the other man down. Zoro stared back with infuriating calm. With a growl, Smoker reached out and grabbed Zoro's shirt and yanked him forward, almost flipping him over the barricade.

"Are you trying to say that you're the real captain of the Straw Hat crew?" Smoker snarled out, punctuating his question with a jostling shake.

"I am."

Smoker noticed the other pirates said nothing to this, though here and there a squeak or gasp slipped out. Smoker's eyes narrowed.

"I think you're full of shit, Roronoa."

Zoro's eyes finally focused, staring with an intensity that made the Marine almost question if it couldn't be true. But the words the swordsman spoke, so quietly that only he could hear, quickly told him the reality of things.

"I saved your life once. You owe me."

The words were damning. Cursing, Smoker released his grip as if burned.

"What difference can you hope to make?" Smoker's eyes cast up to the mute figure kneeling atop the execution stand. "You'll just be delaying things. What difference is a day or more?"

"It might be enough." Zoro spoke softly, his eyes following the other man's line of sight.

"It's useless."

"It's enough for me." The swordsman hissed out, anger tingeing his voice for the first time. "Now you have a debt, to both of us. Are you going to repay it?"

His face thunderous, the grey-haired marine's arm dissolved into a plume of smoke that quickly coiled around the other man like a python before lifting him off the ground. "I repaid it the minute I let you and your friends escape that city in Alabasta. Don't talk to me about debts, boy."

Zoro stared down at him silently, not even flinching in the smoke's vice-like grip. The two watched each other like statues frozen in time, neither moving, neither backing down. Seeing Zoro's resolve, Smoker's face suddenly bled of expression. Wordlessly he released his hold, dropping the swordsman back to the ground, before turning away.

"Whatever. It's your funeral." He turned to the captain of the guard and motioned him forward. "Let him speak." He ordered gruffly.

"Sir? Isn't that for the c-council to decide?"

"The council can eat shit." Smoker cursed, wishing Tashigi hadn't taken away his cigars. She was with the ship, though. He ordered her to stay there so that she wouldn't have to witness this mockery of justice.

Once more the captain tried to entreat some sanity on his superior. "Sir, this man is crazy! Just yesterday, he tried to beat himself to death. It took a dozen of my men to stop him! Clearly, he's unhinged."

Smoker turned and leveled the man with a glare. "He didn't get to speak his piece yesterday because you nearly drugged him into a coma. Let the man speak, damn it!"

"He can't very well stay quiet after dropping _this_ bombshell on us." Aokiji endorsed the commodore lazily. Smoker regarded him with suspicion.

"Do as you're told," the ice giant brushed some invisible speck of dirt off his tunic. "Before our bailiff here blows his smoke-stack."

"Y-yessir!" The captain saluted and motioned his subordinates to drag the pirate forward but the admiral stayed them with a massive hand.

"Don't move him. He can speak from where he stands." Aokiji nodded, silently telling Zoro to proceed. Zoro stared at him, the suspicion in his eyes mirroring the commodore in an almost comical way. No matter, since it was what the swordsman wanted. Turning away, he took a deep breath.

_I don't want to die, Zoro._

"Look at him," Zoro called out, his voice cold and clear as he jerked his head up to the top of the execution stand. "Do you idiots really think that that boy has it in him to be the most powerful pirate in the world?" Zoro made himself sneer.

Luffy looked down, his head hunched between narrow and shoulders and his gangly arms hanging loosely by the shackles. His mouth was distorted with a wide frown and his were eyes wide and dark, like an abused animal's. It was true; he didn't look like the leader of men, much less one of the most feared groups of pirates on the Grand Line.

"It was my plan all along to have Monkey D. Luffy pose as captain. Most of the crew didn't even know. It was the pact we made long ago, when I agreed to turn from bounty hunter to pirate." Zoro's voice was calm and steady as he addressed the jury; his face could have been cast in steel for all the expression it showed. "The kid just wanted a way into the Grand Line to meet up with Red-Hair Shanks; all to give him back some stupid hat."

Luffy could only stare at Zoro, the shock of his partner's words rendering him mute. Never had Luffy imagined this kind of betrayal. His mind shut down against it. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't speak. Nothing made sense anymore. Each word seemed to pierce his soul like so many cruelly driven nails. Something simmered below the surface of Luffy's consciousness, slowly rising up beneath the shock and the hurt. Luffy's teeth ground against it as bile made it's way up his throat.

Zoro continued mercilessly. "I'm not saying he's weak; many of you have faced him in battle to know that that would be a lie. But Luffy didn't have the will or ambition to lead, and I didn't need the extra attention distracting me from my goal of defeating Hawk-Eyes Mihawk. So, we compromised. Luffy became the Straw Hats' poster child while I was the mastermind, controlling everything from the shadows."

"Are you kidding me?" Sanji snorted, no longer able to keep silent. "Like Zoro could be the mastermind of any--"

Nami's elbow swiftly struck the blond in the gut. "Hush!" she hissed. She had no idea what was going on, but every extra minute was another chance to escape. The navigator figured this was just another hair-brained scheme concocted by those two boneheads: a way to stall for time. Stalling for what, Nami didn't know, but at least she didn't have to watch Luffy get his head chopped off. Yet. Her eyes darted around, on the look out for the cue to escape.

She felt Usopp's shoulder bump her own as he hobbled forward. Nami tried to reach out and jerk him back, not wanting him to ruin whatever Zoro had going here, but the sharpshooter had already opened his mouth.

"He's telling the truth!" Usopp shouted out.

Thinking the sniper was replying to Sanji's outburst, Luffy's heart began beating again. Whatever was wrong with Zoro could be dealt with later. Right now, Luffy counted on Usopp to set them all straight. He peered over the edge of the platform. His guards/executioners seemed more absorbed with the drama below then actually watching their prisoner. Luffy wondered if he shouldn't take this opportunity to escape.

But no, he wasn't in any real shape to fight until he could somehow get this seastone off him. He might be able to break the shackled off his arms; he'd already made a crack. But Luffy knew he wouldn't have enough strength left for the ones on his feet. And he couldn't just escape and leave his friends behind. Besides, for some weird reason his legs felt all shaky. He didn't know what was wrong with them all of the sudden, but Luffy guess he wouldn't get very far if he did try to run.

Usopp began talking again and Luffy listened intently, sure that his friend would make this messed up situation right. What was the point of getting executed if it wasn't for being the Pirate king? Zoro was an idiot. Luffy would punch him if he weren't about to be beheaded.

"I was one of the first crewmembers so I know," Usopp paused swallow, and his voice began to waver. "That what Zoro says is the truth."

"Usopp… what are you doing?" Luffy cried out. He felt like he'd been stabbed. Down below, Usopp began to shake.

The main speaker of the Five Elder Stars, the man with the long grey beard, stepped away from the jury. He approached the prisoner's corral, closing the distance with firm and measured steps. As old as the man looked, the power he exuded as he drew close was enough to make Usopp knees weak. The sniper put all his will into standing straight as the old man stopped in front of him.

"Is this true?" he asked, his voice soft but his eyes sharp and penetrating and absolutely terrifying. "Is Roronoa Zoro the real captain of the Straw Hat pirates?"

Usopp glanced behind him and suddenly knew that he alone had realized why Zoro was doing this. The others thought it was a joke, a distraction, or simply that the man had lost his mind. The shock of it kept them from figuring it out. But Usopp saw it. In a way, he'd been waiting for it since he first met the powerful yet kind-hearted pirate.

Usopp turned to look at Zoro. The swordsman stared back stoically, his face revealing nothing but his eyes holding some small spark…something dark and pleading. In those eyes Usopp saw the confirmation of everything he had guessed. He met the swordsman's stare unflinchingly; trying to convey everything he was feeling in that stare. Then, looking away, Usopp did what he did best.

He lied through his teeth.

"H-he is!" Usopp answered. He ignored Luffy's cry of dissent. He ignored the gasps of the others. Deep inside, Usopp's heart was breaking. He ignored that too.

"I found out by accident, having overheard him and Luffy talking one day. I-I was discovered. Zoro threatened to kill me if I ever told…" Usopp's voice was strained, but never wavered. "Luffy was just a figurehead. He was the fall boy in case something like this happened. H-he didn't even defeat half the people you think he did! It was all this guy right here."

"Usopp, stop!" Luffy screamed hoarsely.

Usopp could feel the man's eyes boring down on his, full of agony. His own eyes were tearing up. Usopp took a deep, shuddering breath, and closed his eyes, preparing to make an enemy of his captain for the rest of his life.

"Zoro is the real Pirate King!" the sniper shouted for the whole crowd to hear. Usopp turned and stared up at the rubber-boy, his eyes blinded by tears. "Luffy, I'm sorry--!" he choked out.

Unable to face his captain any longer, Usopp wrenched his gaze away from the sun-struck platform to stare along with the rest of the crowd at Roronoa Zoro. He was actually smirking! Suddenly Usopp hated Zoro. Hated him for making him do this, hating him for that sharp look in his eyes, the look that told him his plan as plainly as if he had spoken it aloud.

Usopp could see it all clearly. If Luffy were to die this day… whether in battle or by his own hands, Zoro would not be far behind. They were being given a choice, sacrifice one of them, or lose them both.

_Why? _ Usopp railed silently. _Why couldn't you come up with some other plan? Why couldn't we think of a way out of this? Damn it, Zoro! I don't want to see you die either!_

The old man had turned, looking towards Smoker and Aokiji. "Do you believe them?"

Smoker scowled and looked away. "You're the jury aren't you? You figure it out."

Aokiji scratched his chin and shrugged. "There are many mysteries in the world, it seems."

The Elder Star sighed and passed a hand over his brow. "This is… quite unprecedented. I need to discuss it with the others." He moved to rejoin the jury, whose heads came together in quiet deliberation.

Sanji turned his head once he was sure they were more or less being ignored. "Alright, what are you two trying to pull?" he demanded in a low whisper.

"Zoro…?" Chopper stared up at the swordsman, his eyes wobbling. The reindeer looked hurt and confused.

Zoro remained staring straight ahead, his eyes dark and his lips sealed. Usopp looked over at him uncertainly before reluctantly following suit.

signal

"Oh, Mr. Bushido…" Vivi felt tears run in unhindered rivulets down her face. "How could you? What were you thinking?"

Of course, the princess knew exactly what Zoro had been thinking. She'd seen the look in his eyes; she knew it was even now mirrored in her own. Zoro wanted to save Luffy, by any means possible. And he got Usopp to go along with it! This plan must have been a last ditch effort after everything else had failed. Vivi couldn't really blame him; she wanted to save Luffy too. So badly that when the swords were raised about his head, Vivi couldn't help the desperate cry that escaped her lips, causing those sitting around her to turn and stare.

She looked up at Luffy's silent form and found that the tears came only harder. Luffy looked empty. Lost. It was as if he were already dead. Vivi's heart ached as she watched him.

Didn't Zoro understand? There was no way Luffy would want to live with this heartache!

The betrayal was one thing, and probably stung painfully Luffy's pride as a man and as a pirate. But seeing a friend executed (for Vivi knew this was the only possible outcome) in his stead… Vivi saw a glimpse yesterday, a tiny fragment of what the swordsman felt for his captain. She didn't know how much of that feeling was returned, though she had her suspicions. But he was undeniably crew, comrade, and friend. His death would crush someone as caring as Luffy.

A shadow cast itself over Vivi, before vanishing and reappearing once again. The princess looked up. It was nothing but a bird. But wait, that silhouette looked strangely familiar….

"That is the signal." A deep voice murmured behind her. "Don't turn around." He warned, just as she was about to do so.

"Chaka?" Vivi whispered, feeling hope seeping slowly into her heart.

"Pell has seen them from the harbor. It won't be long now. The Straw Hats need only to stall for a little while longer."

"A rescue?" Vivi gasped, fighting to keep her voice down.

"Some old friends of theirs." She could hear the smile in the dark zoan's voice.

"Oh Chaka!" Vivi felt fresh tears fall, but these ones were from relief. She straightened suddenly. "But, wait! How will we let them know?"

"We don't." Chaka's voice was deep and smooth and reassuring, even if his words were not. "If fate is with them, they can all be saved without coming to harm. The swordsman has done a good job delaying the jury. It was unforeseen, but we already feared our own diversion could be traced back to us, and therefore you, Princess."

"You never told me any of this!" there was a hint of reproach in the soft voice.

"We didn't want to get your hopes up. This plan was only half conceived, and depended on many variables that could never really be confirmed."

Vivi wasn't really listening as elation swelled up inside her, almost giving her wings. Her dearest friends would be saved. Plans began to form in her head. She would whisk them away; hide them so deep in her desert kingdom that no marine could find them. She'd take Luffy aside and she'd—

"Come away, Princess. Quietly, as no one is looking our way."

"But--"

"Igaram is waiting with the ship. This place soon grows dangerous; we must get you out of here at once. Besides, the government mustn't know we had any hand in this."

Vivi stared at her friends, so close but yet so far from her reach. Sometimes she wished she had joined them, when they asked long ago. But, she loved her country and its people, and couldn't really abandon them. That was a fact that had never changed. But she had faith, and now hope in her heart, and she clung to both desperately. Vivi steeled herself and gathered her skirts around her.

"Alright, Chaka." Her tone was even: the tone of royalty. "Let's go."

She would just have to continue loving the Straw Hats, and Monkey D. Luffy, from afar.

mute

"If you've got some plan, let us in on it, man!" Franky's voice was too loud, making the others cringe and look around to make sure no one overheard.

Nami stared up at the execution platform, studying Luffy's slumped form. He had sounded like he was in so much pain. Luffy couldn't lie to save his life. And Zoro was too straightforward to put on such an act, wasn't he? That meant even if his words were a lie, there was something underneath it --some core of motivation forged by their captain's desperate situation. Nami's lower lip began to tremble as the truth slowly began to set in.

"Zoro--" Nami began, but was interrupted.

"No talking!" AkaInu barked, his hands clenching his weapon. "I tell you these guys are gonna try something." This he directed at Aokiji. "We should separate them; take the rest back to their cells."

Aokiji crossed his long legs. "This demonstration would be pointless if the pirates weren't here to witness it," he said, while toying idly with his sleep mask. "Besides, what could they possibly do?" It seemed if his eyes darted to Zoro for the briefest of seconds.

"We're under orders." Smoker added, refusing to look at anyone. "Until those old geezers decide whose head to cut off, the prisoners have to stay here."

AkaInu cursed. "I don't know how we got stuck guarding this scum with an upstart punk like you."

"Probably because you're too old to do the job right." Smoker flashed his teeth in something that was not really a grin and more like a wolf showing dominance. AkaInu flushed red and started towards the other threateningly. He stopped in his tracks however, as one by one the jury began to rise.

The head of the Five Elder Stars stepped forward, his hands folded into the wide sleeves of his judicial robe. His head was bowed, like a monk in prayer. But there was nothing priestly about the angry glint in his eye.

He was furious at this wrinkle in their plan. With a few well-placed words, that damn swordsman had all but cleared his captain of all charges.

In the old days, such a thing wouldn't have mattered. If the CP9 still existed, the whole affair could be taken care of quietly, with little fuss. But the World Government's personal assassins had been defeated by the very pirates they were now trying to convict. And with the eyes and ears of the world on them, the leader of those wretches had just slipped out of the noose.

The old man looked up at the accused. "Monkey D. Luffy, what say you to your friend's claim as Pirate King?"

"He's lying." Luffy said flatly, a cold and quiet anger lacing the words.

"And what proof can you offer that you are what he is not?"

Luffy, frowning, couldn't come up with an answer. The Pirate king was the Pirate king; what proof did he need? Here and now, however, his silence felt damning.

"I see." The old man turned away. "Roronoa Zoro, Why are you making this claim now; knowing that doing so can only hasten your own execution?"

Zoro seemed to think briefly on his answer. His words, when he spoke them, were short and simple. "If you worked this hard to get where you are, would you want someone else to take the credit?"

Many in the crowd murmured in agreement. "I can't believe this guy," some guy in the bleacher commented loudly. "His ego's so big he'd rather die than let someone else be called Pirate King!" His words caused a small ripple of nervous laughter that was quickly quashed in the heavy atmosphere.

"Besides." Zoro continued. He stared at the ground, his voice gruff. "Even if he was a fool, he was a useful one. I don't want his blood on my hands."

The old man nodded his head. "Very well then. It is hereby decided by this council that Monkey D. Luffy will not be executed on this day or any day hereafter until this matter can receive a full investigation. He will remain in Loguetown as prisoner of the Marines for his crimes of piracy: a charge that _cannot_ be denied." He glared pointedly at the members of the Straw Hat crew as if daring them to refute him.

It couldn't be helped, he thought. The crowd was too big to execute Monkey D. Luffy when someone else had confessed to his crimes. As powerful as the government was, they could still be overthrown if the people rose up against them, and publicly executing a potentially innocent man could stir enough sympathetic hearts that would have these peasant dogs turning on their masters. Wanting to go public with the trial had similarly turned on them. Far from stamping on the flames of piracy, if the government did not tread carefully, they would find themselves consumed by it. That was unacceptable.

"However," his voice rose over the crowd's mix of shouts and cheers. "Upon considering the claims of Roronoa Zoro and taking into account his confirmed crimes against our government, it is this jury's unanimous decision that he be convicted and sentenced to death: a sentence that, due to this man's dangerous nature as shown by his brutal wounding of two of his guards just yesterday, will be carried about immediately."

"What?" Luffy's eyes widened.

The crowd below broke out in excited murmurs, most feeling that their time standing under the hellish sun was well spent. Finally, some action! This day was going to be historic, and anyone actually here was going become historians of sort, telling and retelling this story in bars across the ocean, awash in awed attention and free rounds of drink.

"Commodore Smoker, if you will please assist in the exchanging of the prisoners."

"No!" Luffy lunged forward and his guards had to drop their nodachi to keep the pirate from flinging himself off the platform. "You can't kill Zoro! It's supposed to be me!"

He struggled weakly, seastone and shock sapping his strength. Luffy watched Smoker move towards his swordsman. His lips moved, saying something that the others couldn't hear. Zoro nodded and Smoker grabbed him by the arm before dematerializing into a cloud of smoke that pushed Zoro up into the air. Luffy watched as Zoro drew closer in billowy pillows of grey. Before he could draw in his next breath, they were suddenly standing behind him.

Luffy was yanked to his feet as Smoker reformed. Twisting his head around, Luffy stared at his first mate. Zoro's face was drawn and closed, whatever emotions he bore were shut off tightly behind his eyes.

"Why?" Was all that Luffy could think to ask as he was passed into Smoker's iron grip.

"Get these things off me," Zoro snarled in Smoker's direction, indicating the thick chains around his arms and torso. "You know I'm not going anywhere." His eyes passed over Luffy like he wasn't even there.

Smoker scowled but released the locks, letting the chains clank to the floor. "The cuffs stay," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Why, Zoro?" Luffy asked, his voice getting a hard and desperate edge.

Zoro lowered his eyes to meet his captain's. Luffy saw the sweat beading across his brow; he saw his Adam's apple dip slightly as Zoro swallowed.

"The ones who are important will know the truth," Zoro's voice was rough, and barely above a whisper. He looked away. "Just remember that."

Luffy reached out, his hands rising unconsciously towards one who meant so much to him. Frowning, Zoro knocked them away.

"If you're a man," he added, his voice sounding strangely hoarse all of the sudden. "You won't try to stop me."

"Zoro…" Luffy was suddenly being lifted up and into the air. "Wait!" He flailed about, his kicks punching harmlessly though the smoke. "Leggo!"

"Take care, Luffy." Zoro told him, a ghost of a smile crossing his face.

Still struggling, Luffy's throat closed up and he found to his horror that he couldn't reply.

denial

"This—this can't be happening…" Nami stared up in shock. Luffy dropped from platform in a controlled descent, cushioned by a thick layer of smoke. Zoro was now willingly falling to his knees in the exact spot Luffy was forced into moments before.

"He's giving Luffy a chance," Usopp whispered beside her. His voice was thick and choked with tears. "In the end, it might not even matter, but he's taking the chance. You know Zoro; he had to do _something_."

Nami frowned, tears creeping into her own eyes. "Yes, but why this way?"

"That god-damn, selfish, marimo bastard!"

Nami looked over to where Sanji stood, a bit in front of her and the others. She couldn't see his face, but his shoulders were shaking.

"Executioners, take your positions." The graybeard leader ordered. The guards at the top of the platform scrambled to pick up their swords.

"Luffy!" Sanji shouted out across the square. "What the hell are you waiting for? You're not going to actually let this happen, are you? Go save him, damn it!"

Luffy was standing a couple yards away from the execution stand, staring silently upward while under Smoker's watchful eye. His face was dark and fists were clenched so tightly blood dripped from between his fingers, but he was making no move to free himself. Nami had seen him talking with Zoro up on the platform; she wondered what had been said that would stay Luffy's hand.

"Damn it, Luffy!" Sanji was shouting again, ignoring the barked order for silence by AkaInu.

"Sanji, he can't!" Nami hissed out, her eyes alternating between their guards and their captain. "If he tried he'd be in exactly the same situation as he was in. Only this time they'd execute them both."

"Since when does Luffy think about shit like that?" Sanji spat out, his eyes not leaving the platform looming above.

"Sanji is right." Robin spoke softly, her first words since the switch. "Something else is holding him back."

"But, if we just stand around like this--" Sanji broke off, a desperate look in his eyes. Nami realized that the blond never thought that anyone would really be killed today. She bowed her head, unable to meet his gaze. Sanji was just too innocent sometimes. It was far too easy for someone too die…

"Damn it, if he won't save that idiot, then I will!" panicked and exasperated, Sanji put his hands on the ice wall, preparing to vault himself over it.

His hands were suddenly covered in a thick film of ice. Eyes wide, Sanji tried to yank himself free but he was stuck fast.

"I'm afraid I can't allow anyone else to interfere." Aokiji spoke calmly from his chair. "I only want this to be finished so I can get out of this suffocating heat. Please understand."

The ice began to spread, creeping across the ground and up all of their legs, sealing the pirates in up to their waists. Kidd bit off a scream and the others gasped in a combination of shock and the freezing pain of their bonds. Robin's blue eyes narrowed and she shook, though it didn't appear to be from the cold.

"Swords raised!"

Everyone looked up to see the twin nodachi arcing up into the air, their edges gleaming sharply.

"ZORO!" the name was torn from a throat that was raw with suppressed emotion.

Biting her lip, Nami looked with everyone else at Luffy's thrashing form. A cocoon of ice, identical to their own, had formed all the way up to Luffy's chest. He struggled against it, his eyes wide and desperate as he stared up at his swordsman.

The leader of the Five Elder Stars regarded Luffy with something akin to triumph in his eyes. "Do it." He called up over his shoulder.

"NO!" Luffy's voice rung through the plaza.

A large explosion echoed him.

apology

The blast was deafening. Everyone's attention jerked over to where screams were erupting within a billowing cloud of smoke. The giant flagstones had shattered upwards; the explosion ripped through the very heart of the marine force. The air was drowning in the sound of scared and wounded men and falling rubble. AoKiji's ice barrier crumbled from the resounding shockwave.

After that, many things seemed to happen at once. The jury was suddenly under fire from an indiscernible direction. Many of the judges dove under the long table, seeking cover while the Elder Stars swatted away the bullets like one would a fly. Each age-lined face had turned an ugly shade of purple at the audaciousness of their unseen attackers.

Marine captains shouted orders, splitting their divisions between controlling the crowd that was spilling through and covering the fallen. Rifles were waved wildly as soldiers tried to pinpoint the source of the attack. The crowd itself was torn in two, one half standing in stunned silence while the other pushed and shoved their way out of the square, trampling anything in their way without heed.

AkaInu and Kizaru moved to cover the jury while Garp and his men protected those sitting exposed on the bleachers. Aokiji remained where he was, watching the imprisoned pirates with a thoughtful expression, as if trying to decide if the Straw Hats had somehow instigated this. Smoker kept a firm grip on Luffy, who was still staring at the platform and the figure atop it.

Zoro hadn't moved, but took in the arising chaos with a faint light of hope in his eyes. He ignored his executioners, who had lowered their swords and were looking about with shocked and confused expressions. It seemed everyone's attention was caught by the tableau below.

He could see everything from up here; the hexagon-shaped square was laid out before him like a map. Most of the crowd seemed to be fleeing back down the main road, but the route was so congested no one was really getting anywhere. To the left, the bulk of the marines still congregated, alternating between covering the area and sifting through the rubble for fallen comrades. A few stray bullets were aimed into the hoard; just enough it seemed to keep the soldiers from rallying. Zoro thought he saw a glint of metal in the window of one of the buildings walling in the plaza.

Suddenly, marines furthest away (standing in the mouth of the left side street) began to shout and started firing at something Zoro couldn't see. Then, he could make out a figure walking out of the smoke. And where he walked the men around him fell, overwhelmed by some invisible force. The man's walk was slow, deliberate, with no apparent concern for the bullets whizzing past his head. Like a specter of death, he slid into the square, a wide circle of men falling unconscious —or dead— around him.

Now that Zoro was studying him, he thought the man's head shone with an unmistakable tint of red.

Not all the marines were falling, Zoro saw. But those that didn't were quickly picked off by the two figures trailing behind the mysterious man. One of them was tall and broad of shoulder; he swung something around (a rifle?) like a club. The other was easily as wide as he was tall, and reminded Zoro of Luffy's Gomu Balloon. The man was insanely fast though; Zoro's eyes could barely keep up with him.

By now the admirals were moving to intercept the intruders. They knew that the Elder Stars were more than strong enough to take care of themselves. Mere bullets weren't going to be enough to take down the heads of the government. As to the other members of they jury… they would be tragic but acceptable losses. The shots aimed at them were coming less frequently anyhow, with brief pauses in between, like the shooter was stopping to reload.

Zoro looked over to his friends in frustration. They still stood captive, bound in chains and ice as they looked around wildly. Whoever was behind this attack was doing a bang up job of getting them out of here. Their would-be rescuers weren't even anywhere near them! They were still off to the left, battling the entire Loguetown Marine force. They weren't even making an effort to move this way; they seemed happy enough to have everyone's attention…like a big distraction…

Wait a minute.

Zoro straightened his shoulders and cast his gaze across the plaza, looking for something –anything— out of place. His eyes ran over the crowd; still a churning mass of bodies that no one would be able to get through. Zoro suddenly smirked. Though apparently, there was no trouble going _over_ the crowd.

As he watched a thin figure bleached white hopped from head to head with a gracefulness only available to someone not burdened with flesh. Brook traveled swiftly towards the center of the square, a long bundle tucked in his arms and something shiny dangling from his belt. The keys to their cuffs.

By now Zoro was grinning. He was sure they had left that moldy old pile of bones back at Reverse Mountain with Laboon and the old man. And if Brook was here…

"Sirs, Sirs! Something is attacking our ships!" A young man had managed to squeeze himself through the throng and was shouting, panicked-stricken, up at the Elder Stars.

"What?"

The thin voice was barely heard amid the chaos. "Our ships! They're disappearing one by one into the harbor. Something dark is swimming out there. Some huge monster that's swallowing our ships whole and leaving nothing but jetsam in its wake!"

_That would be Laboon_, Zoro thought, as he watched the old bastards stare at the man, at a loss for words. Their orderly little execution had turned into a revolution. If Zoro couldn't believe his eyes as some of the people in the crowd actually turned round and started fighting the marines!

Brook had gotten to where the rest were being held. The only thing now standing between his friends and freedom was Aokiji. Zoro held his breath. This fight held everyone's fates. Zoro prayed that the skeleton's swordsmanship was up to snuff.

But Brook didn't draw his weapon. He just stood there, as the ice giant talked. Zoro couldn't hear what was being said but, whatever it was sent a shock through his companions. Robin said something in return, and Aokiji's reply seemed to leave her shaken. Suddenly, the admiral turned and walked away, focusing his attacks towards the commotion arising amidst civilian and marine.

The ice binding their legs receded.

Brook hastened forward to free his friends from their seastone bindings. Ripping open the bundle he carried, the skeleton quickly passed around everyone's weapons. Zoro saw his swords amid the rest and felt a swift ache in his chest.

The pirates stood for a moment in a small island of calm. Nami pointed over to Luffy, who was still bound and being held by a scowling but unmoving Smoker. As one, the eight turned and began heading toward the commodore, intent on getting their captain back. Luffy, whom Zoro could have sworn hadn't been paying a bit of attention…Luffy's words stopped them.

"Help Zoro!" he ordered.

They all turned to look up at him.

Zoro saw suddenly that the government leaders were not longer standing idle. Four of the Five Elder Stars were heading off the pirates. And the idiots hadn't even noticed yet.

"Run, damn it." Zoro muttered, as his friends continued to stare up at him, as if still frozen in place. But it seemed as though the old men had already guessed their intent. Graybeard, the one that held back, had turned and was yelling up at Zoro's dumbfounded executioners.

"Kill him! Kill him now!"

The cry jolted the others into action, but too late. The old men, deceptively spry and with skills learned throughout a century, had fallen upon them and each suddenly had to worry about saving their _own_ lives. Smoker kept a firm grip on Luffy. Still bound with seastone, his captain couldn't hope to fight him off.

Zoro stared at the men standing over him. Should he fight? He could dodge one blade; probably avoid a deathblow from the second. Those nodachi were slow and cumbersome, used mainly on ceremony. At this point they were being held more like spears than swords, the men that carried them being too shocked to think clearly. Zoro could overtake these scared and shiftless men in seconds.

But as his eyes met Luffy's, he realized he wouldn't. Luffy hadn't looked away, not even when Brook and his rescue crew had broken in on the scene. The Pirate King's gaze was glued to Zoro, his eyes trying to deny everything, and failing. Zoro stared back at Luffy until he thought something would break. He couldn't look away, even as the men above him moved into position.

This would be his apology.

The swords arced down and time seemed to freeze. The blades reflected the sun with blinding radiance. Zoro felt a hot breeze touch his cheek; he heard the gulls crying in the bay, unconcerned with the dealing of humans. He could see the breath of blades, even when he closed his eyes. The last sound he heard was his captain's scream.

When the blows struck, Zoro didn't feel a thing.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not****read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes: _I rip at heartstrings this chapter. Sorry. And I have no idea how Smoker wormed into such a big part of this fic.

Final Betrayal – Chapter Four

escape

Usopp felt a laugh bubble up his throat but he tamped it down fearing it would come out as a sob. Brook was standing right in front of them, the keys to their freedom in hand, and the only thing stopping him was a single man: but that man had once taken down both Robin and Luffy without breaking a sweat.

Of course that was a long time ago, Usopp told himself. They've all gotten a lot stronger since then. He was sure that Luffy could trounce Aokiji this time around…. If he wasn't currently bound and under guard that is.

Usopp wished there was a wall to bang his head against.

But Brook was nothing to sneeze at, right? Well, his swordsmanship wasn't at Zoro's monstrous caliber, but he had an unparalleled finesse and lightning quick reflexes. He was surely a match for the lazy admiral.

Besides, how much damage could ice cause a skeleton anyways?

"Frozen bones are remarkably easy to crush," Aokiji spoke as he stood, his words providing an answer to the sniper's thoughts. "A bit of frost and they turn as brittle as glass."

Brook's skeletal body suddenly took on a whiter, fuzzier cast. The still captive Straw Hat's held their breaths, waiting to see if Aokiji would make good on his threat. It was had to tell without flesh and eyes, but Brook definitely looked unnerved. Usopp swallowed hard, wishing he had his slingshot in hand. He glanced over his shoulder at the clash between the marines and their unseen saviors, wishing that they could lend them just a little more aid.

"It seems quite a lot of effort has been put to freeing you," The ice giant spoke with the same grating casualness he always bore. "Such heartfelt feelings should not be taken for granted."

"You're implying we'll get the chance to do so." Robin stated coldly. But looking over, Usopp saw fire in her eyes and the whiteness of her knuckles.

Aokiji regarded her silently and Usopp found himself looking from one to another, trying in vain to interpret their silent commune. Finally Aokiji turned and glanced up at the execution stand.

"A man's sacrifice shouldn't be taken lightly, nor should that sacrifice be in vain." The admiral returned his gaze to the group, resting on Robin in particular, whose face had gone a shade paler. "What stands before you is the Governor's Mansion. As Loguetown hasn't had a governor since the last Pirate King, the building should be empty. It would be a small matter to escape out the back and circle round to the harbor."

Usopp eyes bulged and he dimly heard a few of the others gasp. Was this guy—was this guy really gonna let them go? It sounded to good to be true.

"Aokiji…" Robin whispered, her eyes full of something deep and sorrowful and yet grateful; it was hard to look at.

"Don't stick around. Your fate will be on your own heads if you're caught again." The ice giant turned and walked away.

Usopp felt sharp needles of pain shoot down his legs as the ice melted and circulation was restored to his lower extremities. A quick glance around showed the others being freed as well. Brook was the first to recover and, keys in hand, moved from one to the other snapping open their bonds with ease. Next he ripped open the sack he'd been carrying, revealing their confiscated weapons. Franky let out a crow of triumph at the bottles of cola tossed his way. The kid hefted his megaphone with an unwavering grin. Usopp slung his rucksack over his shoulder and gripped Kabuto, feeling instantly calmer. He watched the strength slowly return to Robin and Chopper's, and let out a sigh of relief.

He saw Brook holding Zoro's swords and silently promised that they'd be in their owner's hands soon. But first…

"We have to free Luffy," Nami said, pointing and echoing aloud Usopp's own thoughts.

Everyone turned and regarded their captain, expressions filled with resolve. The ice encasing Luffy had vanished along with their own, but the seastone cuffs still weighed heavily on his bony wrists and ankles. Smoker's large form overshadowed the younger man, and his gloved hands were clenched firmly over Luffy's shoulders. The grey-haired man was watching them with a scowl. He knew what their aim was and the steely look in his eyes told Usopp he had no intention of just standing aside.

"Let's go," the kid ordered, moving to lead the way. Franky grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"Young pups belong at the rear of the pack," the cyborg said, shoving him back. The boy looked put out and, smiling, Robin patted his head as she passed.

They took only a couple of steps forward before Luffy, who hadn't once looked their way, suddenly called to them.

"Help Zoro!" he ordered, his voice ragged in a way that made Usopp's chest hurt.

Usopp's gaze rose to stare at the swordsman. Yes, they had to rescue Zoro; Usopp couldn't stand seeing the other man kneel on that platform for another minute. Zoro would help them fend off Smoker and, once they were safe and away, he could explain to Luffy what Usopp had instinctively known. Luffy had to forgive them, right?

"Kill him!" The old man from the jury cried out, jerking Usopp from his thoughts. "Kill him now!"

_No!_ The sniper shot forward, his sling raised to fire at the men standing over Zoro. The shot flew out, but was somehow obstructed by a large blur. Looking down, Usopp found his path suddenly blocked by massive shoulders and a scarred chest nearly as wide as he was tall. A blond man looked down on him, his smile superior within its well-groomed frame. The sudden exclamations around him told Usopp his friends were similarly hindered.

Usopp was dodging a gigantic fist as it swung his way when he heard Luffy scream. He craned his head around his opponent. Luffy appeared unhurt; hadn't moved from his spot. But what Usopp could see of his profile showed Luffy in some sort of agonizing pain.

His stomach dropping suddenly, Usopp looked up on instinct. His eyes found Zoro at the same instant twin blades impaled his friend's chest, before a powerful blow sent the sniper crashing to the ground.

undone

Sanji felt…disconnected. One moment he was kicking out at some old bald bastard with a sword, and the next he was watching a friend die. Right in front of him. And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

He felt numb. Empty. The enemy's sword came swooping down and he couldn't even dredge up the energy to care until the blade sliced a deep gash into his shoulder. The pain woke Sanji from his daze and he staggered backwards as the enemy moved to stab him again. Sanji hopped away, continuing to give ground against the length of steel that moved like quicksilver and seemed to be everywhere at once. He was still off balance, and couldn't break away long enough to pull himself together.

"Just one distraction/ to focus on another/ will only cause pain." The old man spoke calmly as he moved. Sanji grimaced as the blade cut a hair-thin line across his chest, severing his tie.

"That was gift from Miss Nami, you bastard!" he spun up into a roundhouse kick and nearly got his leg cut off for it.

He hardly had the upper hand, but Sanji kept pressing his attacks. His feet were a blur, flying high and sweeping low as he tried his damnedest to break through the old man's lethal guard. The sun above was scorching; sweat plastered the tailored lined of his suit against his body, restricting his movement. Jumping to avoid his opponent's sword, Sanji stepped on a loose cobble, slipped and went down.

"The wandering crow/ that flies only with the wind/ lacks much discipline."

"This isn't the time for poetry!" Sanji snarled, sprawled out on his backside across the pavement. Seriously, who talks in haikus? It was distracting. Hell, just fighting a swordsman was enough to throw him off balance, because how much it wasn't like fighting with _their_ swordsman.

If Zoro were around, Sanji wouldn't even have to deal with this guy and his crappy poems. If Zoro wasn't so busy getting himself killed, they could free Luffy and be on their way out of here. Sanji's eyes burned as he looked up towards the execution platform. The stand looked empty now, but if the blond squinted he could just make out the silhouette of a hand flung carelessly over the edge.

Goddamn it, Zoro…

Common sense told Sanji too late that taking your eyes off an enemy in the middle of a battle was a Bad Idea. He saw the glittering point of a sword heading straight for him and felt his body freeze just as surely as being encased in Aokiji's ice. The sword thrust down…

And Brook was suddenly between them, parrying aside the blow meant to pierce through Sanji's skull.

"It's not very honorable to strike when an opponent is down." Brook stated, a small glint in the darkness of his eye-socket.

"Opportunity/ when presented before you/ one must act or lose."

Brook flourished his sword in response. "Then I will be your opponent, sir."

adamant

Brook had no idea how such an emaciated form could hold such strength. The old man appeared to be nothing more that sagging skin and bones. But that meant that Brook had the advantage. He was just bones, and therefore infinitely harder to kill.

The skeleton easily kept up with his opponent's speed, but couldn't compensate for the difference in strength. His cane sword was meant mostly for fencing: a duel between gentlemen. It just wasn't built to go against such powerful blows. Brook fought tooth and bone to gain ground on his foe, all the while praying his sword wouldn't break. Roronoa's words came back to him as he trades blows.

_You're dead. _Zoro said flatly as the outcome became apparent of their friendly little spar. Zoro's newest katana rested atop Brook's clavicle, ready to shear the skeleton's head off in an instant. Brook gasped for breath. He'd seen the swordsman's strength when Zoro had gotten his precious shadow back. But that was nothing compared to experiencing it firsthand.

_If you try to fight power with power you'll lose, _the moss-haired man stated with a kind of blunt cruelty. _Neither your sword nor body can handle it. Work with what you know and get around it some other way. _

To date, Brook had still yet to defeat the other man in a duel.

It was shocking, really, to see Roronoa up on that platform instead of their captain. There was an entire story there that the skeleton wasn't privy to. Seeing a man of such strength get stabbed so simply had come as a bit of a shock. It didn't seem possible to actually kill Roronoa Zoro.

Brook's ivory teeth ground harshly together as he barely managed to block the next attack. The blow shook straight down to his shoulder, making his arm numb. He wasn't a real swordsman, not like Zoro was. How could he expect to defeat such a skilled opponent? He had dragged Laboon all the way back to the East Blue to help save his friends. He left the giant whale in the harbor. If Brook were defeated here, what would become of him? If something happened to Laboon, Brook would never be able to forgive himself.

There had to be a way. He just couldn't lose!

despair

Her clima-tact fell to the ground with a clatter. Eyes wide, Nami sunk to her knees at the same time the blades were being ripped from Zoro's body. She watched, unable to speak or even breathe, as the swordsman fell slowly backwards and out of view.

It can't be… it's a lie; this can't really be happening…. After everything, all their adventures together, it can't all end like this. It just can't!

Nami's throat felt tight; her eyes stung and overflowed. She was overly conscious of just how hot it was. How she was thirsty. How the little bits of gravel bit into her legs. How, once again, someone she cared about had been taken from her.

What was the use of fighting anymore? No matter how far or how strong they got, someone was there to tear them down again. The World Government had ground them all under their heel time and time again; maybe it was time to just give up. After all, what chance did they have?

"Nami!" Chopper's half growl/half cry managed to raised the navigator from her despair.

The reindeer had just slammed into some strange lion-man that looked as if it had planned to make a meal of the redhead. The lion's main was grey and ended in strange sort of dreadlocks towards the end. Its face bore a large scar across it, void of any fur. A flat little hat sat incongruously atop its head. Nami's eyes widened as she recognized one of the Five Elder Stars: A Devil's Fruit user, and a Zoan to boot.

Nami grabbed her clima-tact and jumped to her feet. As much as she felt her soul shrivel up on itself, as much as she felt like giving up, she wasn't going down like this. Not as somebody's lunch. She turned to thank Chopper and stopped.

The reindeer was fighting savagely, his teeth bared in an animalistic snarl. He shrugged off the swats from the lion-man's massive paws, even as its claws left bloody marks across his fur. But that wasn't what halted Nami, what killed the words rising in her throat.

Though it all, Chopper was crying. A steady flow of tears matted his fur. Nami felt her own grief flow over once more before, gritting her teeth, she began spinning her weapon with fury. The staff slowly summoned dark clouds that would soon blast their enemies to the ground.

_No more_, she promised herself.

barrage

Franky locked three bottles of cola in place, feeling the immediate rush of energy and giving a fierce grin. Now these bastards were in for it! The cyborg glanced around, trying to pick out his first target. That Smoke-bastard, maybe…

Franky's eyes spotted Robin first. The dark-haired woman was using a flurry of hands to keep some giant ball from rolling her flat. Franky popped an arm up and took aim.

"Strong Right!" his powerful fist shot out, a heavy chain flying along behind it. The iron-made fist hit the ball-thing dead center, sending it flying across the plaza to smash into a bunch of marines.

"Heh heh," Franky smirked. "Strike!"

He turned to accept Robin's thanks only to find the archeologist staring up and over his shoulder, shock and dismay written upon her classic features. Franky followed her gaze with trepidation and saw the swords being yanked from Zoro's body.

"Shit!" Franky cursed, his sunglasses dropping low and revealing his eyes, widened in disbelief. "Shit…. That guy…is he really--?"

Franky felt anger well up within him. Another good man had fallen because of political maneuvering; just like Old Tom. Damn this government anyway! Franky raised his arm again, his hand sliding out and revealing a scope. The cyborg took careful aim and let loose.

"Weapons Left!"

With a startled cry, one of Zoro's executioners was blasted clear off the platform. The other could do no more than stare before he too was taken down.

"And there's more where that came from, you assholes!" Franky shouted, his anger boiling over. He'd blast this whole island, starting with those bastard judges.

"Franky!" Robin called out in alarm just as something large and heavy crashed into his unprotected back.

trouble

Yasopp appeared at Shanks' side, causing the redhead to blink. "What are you doing down here?" he asked as he slashed his way through another group of marines.

They had been sailing amiably two weeks before, no set destination in mind, hiding their maps and just going where their logpose took them. Around midmorning a shadow crossed over the golden deck of their ship. A scroll-case hit the planks, causing everyone on deck to glance upwards, where shadowed wings too broad to be a mail gull turned and headed back east.

One of the men picks the case up; it was heavy and ornate and looked to be genuine ivory. The man passed object to Ben, who was the only officer on deck. Honestly, the man would have probably searched Ben Beckman out first even if he hadn't been. It was well known that the grey-haired man was the responsible one on this ship of rough and rowdies.

The paper within the scroll case was thick and seemed as rich as its container. Ben glanced at the words once before turning swiftly on his feet and seeking out his captain.

They changed course not fifteen minutes later.

"I'm running out of ammo." Yasopp scowled, bringing his flintlocks up to bear against two ruddy-faced marines that tried to close in from behind. "Plus my targets have done spread out and are jumping around like jackrabbits. If I'm not careful I'll hit one of the kids."

"You're always careful." Shanks eyeballed his gunner, looking for the real reason. Yasopp fidgeted slightly.

"I think we should move in closer." He admitted. "It looks like the younglings are having some trouble."

"We're not exactly dancing a jig here ourselves, now are we?" Shanks laughed. "Besides, we're just the diversion. Let them get away on their own efforts. They won't be happy otherwise."

Yasopp's voice carried none of his captain's levity. "But the green-haired lad's been stabbed through," he spoke in a low tone, as if the matter were some important secret.

Shanks eyes turned somber. He shook his head. "Tis a shame." He dodged a saber aimed for his flank, twisted and stabbed at the wielder. "And Luffy?" he asked, his tone neutral.

"Hasn't moved from his spot."

"I see…" Shanks muttered, his expression troubled.

Ben took out three men with one swing of his rifle before moving closer to the two. "We didn't come here to overthrow the government," he stated, as if they needed reminding.

In a blink, Shanks' boyish smile was back. "I know, but I was hopin'…you know, while we were here…." He trailed off, sounding a bit wistful.

Yasopp barked out a laugh, unable to hold on to his serious expression. "Methinks yon emperor is afraid of the trouble he'll be in after this is done," he teased.

Shanks winced. "We'll be forced to join Dragon's ragtag revolutionaries after this," he predicted gloomily.

"Ha." Ben smirked. "He wouldn't have you."

They watched casually as Lucky Roux darted about, swatting the enemy down like so many flies. Somewhere beyond the crowd the Straw Hats fought, probably still reeling from the death of one of their own. Shanks had only the barest of hunches on why it was the first mate bleeding his blood away on that platform, and not poor Luffy. But then again, Shanks' hunches were rarely wrong. His lips puffed out a short-burst of a sigh.

"Fine," he announced, sounding only slightly put out. "We'll go save the whelps. But I'm afraid we'll have to get past these blokes first." Shanks pointed, indicating the line of stern faced admirals blocking their way.

Ben eyed down AkaInu, smiling, though his eyes were flat and cold. "That, my captain, will be a pleasure."

drown

Chopper remembered this feeling, this terrible well of anger and agony, so deep and dark and suffocating. He nearly succumbed to it once before, during Wapol's reign of terror…back when Doctor had died. This, this was exactly the same. Except, last time, Dalton –a stranger back then— had pulled the young doctor out of this feeling before he could drown in it.

This time, he wasn't sure he wanted to be saved.

Chopper couldn't put into words what Zoro had meant to him. Comrade. Friend. Protector. None of those words came close to the feelings nestled inside the reindeer's chest. It was something dredged up from the deepest of Chopper's animal instincts. Zoro was warm, safe. Zoro smelled like home. When he was around it was like the doctor didn't have to worry about a thing (though he did, and often. But that was okay too.). If Chopper had allowed someone to become his master (that is, if he had become the pet that outsiders so often thought him to be), that person would have been Zoro.

And now he was gone. And Chopper's anger and sorrow had muddled together, his reindeer brain unwilling to handle these emotions not related to the fight or flight endorphins it was pumping out.

Chopper couldn't blame it. All the anger and tears wasn't going to be enough to defeat this opponent. And Chopper was starting to feel dizzy from heat and the numerous gouges and tears in his furry hide. If only it wasn't so blasted hot! Even with the seastone cuffs removed, Chopper still felt the energy being slowly drained from him. The sun, the heat, the days enclosed in the dark wet caves, too little food and drinkable water; all these things took the strength out of his punches and made his hooves clatter against the cobbles unsteadily.

If he had his rumble balls, he'd be able to use his seven-level transformation to overwhelm his opponent. As it was, it was three on two. Chopper, having grown skilled over the years in close combat, made full use of all three of his available forms. His deer form provided speed, his man-form gave him power, and his normal form made him a smaller target and helped him escape when locked with his enemy. The old man, however, used only his two Zoan forms (half-lion and full lion) Chopper guessed that, as an old man, he had neither strength nor speed so he discarded the form entirely during battle.

But still, he was _strong_. As seasoned as Chopper was at fighting, he just couldn't get an upper hand over this guy. His instinct kept yelling at him to run, this guy was a predator and looked more than eager to snap up a nice haunch of venison. But Chopper wasn't going to run. These people had hurt and humiliated them. He was going to show them all that the Straw Hat Pirates were a force to be reckoned with.

A giant paw swatted against the reindeer's flank and sent him skidding across the pavement. The lion-man followed after to attack him while he was down, but a large bolt of lightning came down between them.

"Don't think of us as some sort of meal," Nami called out, holding her clima-tact like a quarterstaff. "We've beaten scarier monsters than you."

The lion-man grinned, showing rows of sharp yellow teeth. "It's been awhile since I was allowed to play with my food."

"Thunder Tempo!"

Chopper watched as Nami summoned bolt after bolt of air-crackling lightning. But the lion avoided them all with a stunning display of agility. Was this thing really an old man? In the blink of an eye, the big cat was behind Nami, claws outstretched.

"Nami!"

Chopper watched the navigator's eyes widen. Before she could turn, before Chopper could even move, the redhead was falling forward in a spray of blood.

"NAMI!"

fear

The youngest of the Straw Hats gripped his megaphone tightly as he hid under the safety of the jury table. Oh, he had scared those old farts off fast enough; the ones that were hiding here before him. They were nothing. Not real fighters. Not like the ones out there. Out there was blood and screaming and people fighting-- dying. Under here it was just him and his raspy breathing.

Of course he was scared; he was just a kid. But, he was a pirate too, damn it! And Luffy and the others were in trouble. If he didn't help…

If he didn't help, he might start to think what happened to Zoro was his fault.

But Luffy was just standing there! All the others had started fighting. There were these weird old guys, the same ones that had asked him all those questions a week ago. They were real jerks. And they were strong. The guys seemed to be having trouble fighting them. The kid bit his lip. No matter what Luffy had said, if he hadn't had gotten caught, none of this would have happened.

_"Straw Hat Luffy, we've come to parlay!" A deep voice had shouted up at them. The marine ship was so tiny that they hadn't suspected a thing._

_They claimed to want some sort of bargain: offering free passage into the East Blue in return for staying only on pre-approved islands and heading back to the Grand Line in a month's time. Luffy, laughing, had indulged them by listening. After their long-winded speech he had scratched his head, clearly not getting that they were trying to restrict the movements of such a fearsome pirate team. Nami had just stepped out on deck to counter their 'deal' (the she-devil being the Queen of Bargaining, in the kid's opinion.) when two-dozen strange metal ships suddenly emerged from beneath the water. _

_The marines had the element of surprise, there was no doubt about that, but even with Vegapunk's strange technology, they really didn't stand a chance against the Pirate King and his crew. The kid had darted forward, eager to prove himself to his new captain. The next thing he knew there was a gun to his head, and some big jerk named AkaInu threatened to shoot his brains out if anyone so much as blinked._

_Luffy regarded them blankly, and for a moment the kid feared the rubber-man would cast him aside. He was a nobody after all, hadn't even spoken to them (though at that point they didn't know he _could_). But his captain smiled, and told everyone to stop fighting and drop their weapons. Usopp and Nami, they protested loudly. Zoro, he just snorted and did what he was told._

And now he was dead.

He fingered the scar at his throat. What would his ma say if she were alive? She had been so proud of him, for being brave…. And here he was hiding while everyone else was giving it their all. The kid growled and irritably wiped his tears away.

Well, damn it all, he would too! Rolling out from beneath the table, he ran on light feet towards some giant blond guy that had been using Usopp for a punching bag. His megaphone vibrated in his hand, ready to emit an ear-shattering squeal with just the press of a button. He wasn't strong, but he had the brains and the gumption to make up for it. He'd always been tough, had taken care of himself.

He may be just a kid, but he was also a Straw Hat and he'd face his fate fighting, with a grin on his freckled face.

push

Sweat dripped into Robin's eyes as she watched Franky fall. Her Hana-hands had come up to protect the cyborg's weak spot, but the large ball-like thing hurtled over them like they were as weak as the flowers her powers were named for. Franky's body flew into the air on the impact and landed somewhere among the crowd.

Robin turned to face her opponent, blocking out the screams of the crowd, the clash of weapons and the screams as musket met flesh. Robin forgot the sound of steel ripping through flesh, the spray of red across green, and the thump of a body striking wood. This minute was for the living. If she wanted to grieve, she'd have to first survive.

The ball slowly unfolded, revealing itself to be an old man of round proportions, with a bald head and thick, white, handlebar moustaches.

"Surrender quietly, my dear, and I promise to go easy on you," the man spoke in a weasel-like tone.

"Why should I?" Robin bit out harshly. "When I'm fated to die anyway?" Indeed, with Zoro gone, and her captain 'under investigation', the archeologist had no illusions that she wouldn't be next on the government's list for removal.

_I'm not going to die here, _Robin promised herself.

The old man's reply was a full-body shrug as he twisted and warped his body once more into a human ball. Robin raised her guard but couldn't really prepare for the speed and power contained in the sphere's spin. Her summoned arms couldn't hold it back and were soon crushed beneath it. Robin dodged to the side just in time to avoid being flattened by the thing.

She twisted around, expecting it to stop, but the ball kept barreling across the plaza, devastating all in his path. The man-ball slammed into the bleachers, throwing witnesses and dignitaries into the air to land in crumpled heaps. The old man seemed to care little about who was injured on his path of destruction; he arbitrarily picked off marine and pirate alike. Now his deadly spin was focused on the helpless crowd.

Their once outspoken audience was now screaming in terror as they trampled over each other in order to get away. Robin's sharp eyes spotted a young girl --no older than seven-- calling out, having lost her guardian in the chaos. Tear-struck, she stood unknowingly in the old man's path.

"No!" Robin crossed her long arms and concentrated.

A large net materialized in the ball's path. Each length of rope was a pale arm: each knot, a tightly clenched hand. The human-ball smashed into the human-net and it's trajectory halted, though not its spin. Robin's teeth grit with effort as she fought to keep her web intact. Sweat and tears spilled down her face as she fell the old man start to break through.

"I-can't…hold…it!" With a cry of pain, Robin had to release her hold. Her eyes were dark with despair as she watched her net explode into a hundred delicate petals. The ball shot forward. The girl turned and screamed.

And suddenly Franky was there, lifting the little girl high into the air as his fist arced out and smashed into the rolling sphere, sending it flying out of the crowd and back towards the center of the plaza once more.

"Franky…" Robin's voice was warm and held multiple layers of relief.

"Ha! You did think I'd go down that easy, did ya?" He smirked as he sat the small child down in a spot of relative safety.

"Of course not," Robin smiled, feeling her spirit strengthen once more.

"Well, that thing ain't beat yet either." Franky adjusted his sunglasses. "You with me, then?"

Robin's gaze wandered the plaza, seeing everyone engaged in their own battles. Flashes of lightning arced down here and there. She could her the sniper's shouts even over the tumult of pedestrians and marines. Everyone was pushing past their grief and working hard. Even with the odds against them, she felt confident that they could win. After all, they had all done it once, for her. Zoro's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. Aokiji expected nothing less from them.

Turning back to the cyborg, Robin nodded. "I'm with you," she said. And she meant it.

break

Luffy stared up at the space where Zoro had been. It had all been so quick. One moment Zoro had knelt there, staring down at him with tortured eyes… and then he was gone. Just gone: fallen in a shower of his own blood. Luffy knew the image of his first mate impaled on those two swords would stay with him for the rest of his life.

His throat felt scratchy, like he'd been screaming. His legs, they didn't feel cold anymore; the ice was long gone. The sun baked his head, beating down on his dark hair without his hat to protect him. He could still feel the seastone against his skin, leaching the strength from his limbs. He was aware of fighting going on around him. Luffy felt Smoker's hand on his shoulder, though the grip was loose, like the Commodore wasn't sure what to do since his prisoner wasn't trying to escape.

But he didn't want to move. If he moved, if he blinked, if he even breathed, that would make it all real. And Luffy would rather die right on this spot than admit that.

Lightning struck nearby, though the sky remained clear. Nami. The others were probably close. Even Brook was here; he had heard one of the others say his name. And someone was over fighting off the marines, but Luffy didn't know whom. It didn't matter, because none of it was real.

Zoro wasn't dead because Zoro couldn't die. And Zoro would never claim to be Pirate King. Luffy knew that Zoro would have watched him die with a stoic face (but in his eyes a smile just for his captain). Luffy knew the day he decided to become Pirate King that this was how he was destined to die. Zoro knew that, that's why he'd never interfere.

That's why this couldn't be real.

A shadow fell over him and Luffy felt Smoker stiffen beside him. Luffy's gaze was on the broken cobbles covering the ground; he saw only the tail of white cloth that was turning grey and dingy at the edges. Who cared who this was? Luffy was just waiting to wake up. He didn't often have nightmares and hated them when he did. He just wanted to wake up.

Luffy watched as Smoker's heavily booted feet stepped smoothly between him and the white-robed figure in front. It was impossible to miss the tension coming off in waves between him and the mystery figure.

"Commodore Smoker, step aside." The voice was old but strong. Despite himself, Luffy recognized it as Graybeard's.

"I have the situation under control, sir." Smoker's sounded stiff, more formal than Luffy had ever heard him.

"The pirates are trying to escape. We have to quell them before they instigate a revolt."

"Sir, Monkey D. Luffy remains safely in custody."

"I'm ordering you to move, Commodore."

"I can't do that, sir." Smoker's voice was oddly tight.

"That pirate needs to die!"

"He'll go to trial."

"He had his trial; you saw what happened! We need to get rid of him now."

"Attacking an unarmed man does not fit in with my idea of justice."

It slowly sunk in that they were talking about him. Luffy wondered dully why Smoker was bothering to protect him. If he'd just go ahead and let him die, Luffy could wake up and put this whole nightmare behind him. The sounds of battle filtered through his ears. He could hear the Franky's powerful blasts, and Usopp's shrill shouts. Luffy heard Chopper scream Nami's name, sounding hoarse with fear.

Luffy squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the urge to plug his ears with his fingers. This was just a dream…

"Justice is in the hand of those with the power to enforce it!" Graybeard sounded pretty angry at this point.

"That's why I'm not moving." Smoker was going to get in trouble if he kept back talking his leader like that, Luffy thought idly.

"I'll have you court-marshaled for this! I'll send you straight to Impel Down, with all the scum you put there!"

Ah, see? Smoker should feel lucky that this wasn't real. Luffy made it a point to mention it to him next time he saw the marine. The older man really would be in a much higher position if he knew how to keep his mouth shut. At this rate, Coby was going to outrank him soon.

"Ugh. Don't shout. It interrupts my pace. _Sir_." Luffy could almost hear the sneer in Smoker's voice.

"Damn it, man! I'll just run you through with him!"

Whatever nasty thing Graybeard had planned for them was halted by a familiar gravelly voice. Luffy's blank expression twitched slightly.

"Good work, Smoker!" Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp called out loudly. "You've kept the Elder from harm. This place is turning into a real battlefield, and we've already accumulated an unacceptable amount of civilian casualties."

"Vice-Admiral," Graybeard sighed with something like relief. "Please remove the Commodore, he'll suffer for his insubord--"

"Begging your pardon, Sir. But your worries are misplaced."

"They are?"

"Yes, sir. Our young Commodore," Garp slapped Smoker's shoulder in a rough but friendly manner. "Is more than capable of taking care of himself. It is yourself you should be thinking of."

"What?"

"It's not safe here, Sir. You should return at once to Marijois."

Luffy let his grandfather's voice wash over him, even if he wasn't really paying attention to the words. The old geezer scared the crap out of him, but compared to everything else that had happened (even if it wasn't real, Luffy hurriedly told himself), Gramp's presence was positively comforting.

"The pirates--"

"The pirates are overwhelming us, Sir. If we don't pull out now, the entire head of the World Government will be wiped out."

"Impossible!" Graybeard sputtered. "The other four--"

"Are being pushed back. You can see for yourself."

There was a brief pause, and when Graybeard spoke again, the anger had bled out of his voice, replaced with something less sure. "The Admirals--"

"No match for one of the Four Emperors, you know that well."

The old man seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku is ready to meet and escort you from the base of Reverse Mountain." Garp stated neutrally. "I took the liberty of telling him you would leave immediately. The remaining Elder Stars will be rounded up and similarly transported."

"Don't think I don't know what this is about…" Graybeard spoke, his voice shaking with fury. "The only reason you're doing this is for that pirate grandson of yours."

Luffy's chin lifted a fraction.

"My only concern is for the continued governance of our oceans, sir." Gramps sounded almost chiding. "If the World Government were to fall, what chaos would rise up in its place? Certain people have been waiting for a situation like this for decades."

Gravel crunched nearby as a third person joined the conversation.

"Admiral AkaInu is dead." Luffy recognized Aokiji's easy drawl.

"Your arm, man!" Garp exclaimed.

"Just a scratch." The ice user assured, his voice sounding more tired than usual. "The Red Hair Pirates are decimating our forces. Kizaru is all for initiating the Buster Call."

"And your thoughts, Admiral?" Garp asked.

"We should retreat. Temporarily of course. Having so many of the World's Leaders out in the open like this was dangerous and foolish. If we don't back down now those pirates may take down the whole government."

There was a pointed silence. Luffy got the feeling they were both looking at the old graybeard.

"Very well." The Elder Star said stiffly.

"Wise decision, sir!" Garp's mood seemed to lighten. "Here, let me take that thing. You'll stain your robes." Luffy heard something clatter loudly as it hit the ground. "Aokiji, if you would escort his honor to Commodore Smoker's ship?"

"Of course."

Luffy felt a shock course through him as the cuffs on his wrists turned so cold they burned. His eyes started to rise before he stopped and shook his head. He told himself he didn't care. It was all part of some crappy dream stuffed full of politics and other icky things. He'd probably forget it all by the time he woke up. It wasn't worth paying attention to. Luffy dimly heard two sets of footfalls fade away.

"Quite a bit of luck that it wasn't in the harbor when that monster attacked." Garp commented when they were alone. "Your underlings are well trained, Smoker."

Smoker shifted. "…Yeah."

"How's that young woman doing?" Luffy's grandfather went on idly. "The clumsy one Hina tells me about?"

"Tashigi?"

"Yes, yes, that's the one."

"…She recently made Junior Grade Lieutenant."

"Good, good…" Garp brushed past Luffy like he was a stranger. "I'll just leave matters to you, then."

"…Yes sir."

"Coby! Helmeppo! What are you hanging around here for? Get to work!"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

Luffy watched a pink blur pass across the corner of his vision. He told himself he didn't hear the choked whisper that reached his ears.

"Luffy…I'm sorry…."

_This is just a dream. A nightmare. It's not real. Not real… _Luffy repeated this mantra to himself.

Then Smoker moved, and he saw it. The object Graybeard had held. A long, straight nodachi blade: one of two that had pierced through his first mate's chest.

It was still covered in Zoro's blood.

Luffy started to shake.

"Strawhat?" Smoker put a hand on Luffy's shoulder, whether it was to constrain or comfort was unknown.

"_The ones who are important will know the truth. Just remember that."_

Zoro…

"_If you're a man, you won't try to stop me."_

The blood on the blade was wet and red, just beginning to grow tacky at the edges. Luffy saw again as the swords punched through Zoro's back; his mind's eye watched the blood spray from the swordsman's mouth, the eyes shoot open in shock.

"_Take care, Luffy."_

Luffy fell to his knees as he once again saw the arc of blood as the swords were yanked free. Then Zoro had fallen backwards, slamming into the thick wood of the execution platform. Luffy looked up, and could see his hand, could watch the blood drip slowly between his fingers.

God, how could he have ever thought that he had dreamed this? This… this could never have happened in even Luffy's worst imaginings. This whole think was horribly, sickeningly real.

Luffy's shakes had increased until it felt as if he were convulsing. He was gonna be sick….

His pulse pounded in his ears, his breath came rapidly in shallow pants. Sweat poured down his face; his body was going into shock. Luffy's eyes were wide and unseeing as he felt something inside of him inflate further and further, tightening his chest and making it hard to draw breath.

Suddenly, with a sharp stab of pain, it burst.

"UUUUAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!" Luffy's voice broke out from his ribs, loud and animalistic and full of anger and grief and a wretched sense of hopelessness that caused everyone around him to stop their battles and stare.

Luffy's muscles flexed. Tendons stood out in his neck; veins pulsed under his skin. Luffy's biceps bulged as he pulled with all his might and --with a loud crack-- his shackles, weakened by Aokiji's ice, shattered.

The cuffs on his ankles remained, but the dark-haired boy was undeterred. Luffy whirled on Smoker, his face red with rage. "Take me up there! Take me to him!"

Smoker stared back, his own expression torn between irritation and shock.

"Don't shout," the marine said reflexively. "It interrupts my--" his words were halted by a fist going through his face and out the back of his head, a thing that would have been painful if he had not invoked his Devil's Fruit powers. Smoker glared at the other man, his face slowly reforming.

"Just take me to Zoro, damn it!" Luffy's teeth were bared in a vicious snarl.

"There's nothing you can do for him."

Another fist headed towards Smoker as Luffy tackled him. Smoker tried to dissolve only to find to his shock that he could not. He realized that the other man's feet were wrapped around his leg, just above his boot, so that the seastone binding the pirate was now touching him as well. Luffy's fist plowed into Smoker's jaw and they both went down.

"Damn it! You goddamn marines! It's all your fault!" Luffy had a hold of Smoker's jacket and was slamming him repeatedly into the pavement. "Damn it! Damn you all! Why couldn't you just leave us alone?" Luffy's voice was choked, almost hysterical.

Smoker couldn't take it anymore. With a roar, the grey-haired man heaved upward, overpowering the pirate and flipping their positions. Snarling, He shook Luffy hard enough to make his teeth rattle.

"Damn it, Strawhat! Will you just stop for a moment and see I'm not fighting you?"

Amazingly, Luffy stopped. He stared up at Smoker with dark and haunted eyes, looking for all the world like a lost child. It turned Smoker's stomach to see such a strong man fall so low. With a curse, the Commodore shoved him away.

"Just get out of here…." Smoker spat, seeming suddenly interested in the cracks on the ground..

"What?"

Smoker scowled, but didn't meet the other's gaze. "Those old bastards got to make their example. I want no more part in this mess. Grab your friends and go."

He heard Luffy stumble to his feet and watched from the corner of his eye as the dark-haired boy looked around, picking out his crew among the mob. For a moment Smoker thought the pirate was actually going to do as he said, but then Luffy shook his head.

"I can't leave. Not without Zoro."

Smoker watched in frustration as the rubber-boy painstakingly hobbled towards the execution stand. The shackles on his ankles prevented him from walking normally, resulting in Luffy using a half scooting/half hopping approach. Even once he reached the platform there was no ladder for him to climb. There were only the giant iron struts, rising up in an 'X' pattern that rose up nearly five stories high. The distance was nothing had he been able to use his rubber powers. As he was, weak and hindered, the climb must have looked daunting.

The Straw Hat didn't even pause, though, as he reached up towards the first strut and strained to pull himself upward. He slipped twice, falling on his face into the gravel. But Luffy never hesitated to push himself back up. He finally hooked his feet around the closest beam and swung his torso around, struggling into a sitting position. He sat there for a minute, panting and dripping with sweat, before looking up for the nearest handhold and starting again.

Watching him, Smoker felt something twist in his gut. At the beginning of this trial, he had wondered which side was right, which was truly just. He had always prided himself on his sense of justice, and figured the best way to uphold it had been to serve those who created and enforced the law. He had spent fifteen years fighting pirates, who were lawbreakers by their very nature. Today, for the first time since he had enlisted, Smoker suddenly felt he had picked the wrong side.

With a grimace, he raised a hand to rub at his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"I need a smoke." He muttered with a sigh.

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not****read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes: _Umm… yeah. I ripped out Luffy's heart and stomped on it in this chapter. This is the first time that it has ever actually _hurt_ to have to write something. Ugh, forgive me, Luffy!

Final Betrayal – Chapter Five

resolve

"Stupid marimo…" Sanji growled as he planted the heavy heel of his shoe into an attacking marine's face.

Sanji still felt off, and it was making him pissy. His aim was off, his kicks weren't packing their normal power, and he could get the image of that moss-haired idiot getting stabbed out of his mind. It took a lot effort to keep his concentration on the battle. For once Sanji found himself wanting someone else to take care of the fighting while he kicked back, smoked twenty packs of cigarettes and tried not to think. But reality didn't want to be that kind.

First off (worst off), those bastards had taken his smokes when they threw him behind bars. Sanji had nearly gone crazy in those two weeks without nicotine. It was only Robin's sotto voice talking calmly from an adjacent cell that kept the cook from climbing the walls. As it stood, only a supreme strength of will kept him from rifling through the pockets of his fallen enemies in search of some desperately craved tobacco.

Sanji ducked under a well-aimed punch and shot his leg forward, taking the annoyance out of commission. Truth be told, he felt a bit miffed on having to take out all these side dishes while Brook got the main course. He couldn't see the skeleton or his opponent, but the sound of swords clashing still occasionally pierced through the din.

The marines coming after him were weak and unorganized: hardly worth the cook's time. They came at him sporadically, sometimes alone, sometimes in threes. Their skills were limited and they were almost humiliatingly easy to beat. It angered the blond to have to waste his time on these fools. But Sanji took consolation in picturing that idiot swordsman's face on every man he sent flying. (It made him feel marginally better.) If only there weren't so damn _many_ of them.

Sanji estimated nearly fifty thousand marines were running about. The plaza was so packed with uniforms that you couldn't even move without stepping on a marine. Many were absorbed with fighting the ones who blew up the square. Others were fending off the mob of ten thousand or so that were rioting and randomly attacking whatever was in their path. At least half of those numbers were pirates, he figured. Sanji didn't know whether they were part of their rescuers' crew, simply enjoyed a good bout or were honestly trying to help: probably a little of all three. But even they weren't enough to distract all the marines from the Straw Hats' escape and Sanji had his hands full trying to take them all out.

But, damn it, how was he supposed to calmly fight these goons when Zoro was laying up there, dead or dying?

The enemy ranks thinned for a moment and he paused to catch his breath. Sanji raised his hand to loosen his ruined tie, and was shocked to find it shaking. The movement caused the cook's anger to burn hotter, though the emotion had no discernable source and all convenient targets seemed to be suddenly out of reach, off finding easier foes to battle. That led Sanji to do nothing but stand and shake and think.

It would have been easy to blame it on withdraw. But Sanji wasn't a coward, least of all when it came to his own emotions. As much as he cursed and fought with that asshole, Zoro was important to him. He was a friend. He was…family. The idea of a future without having to see that bastard's ugly face left a cold, hollow feeling in the pit of Sanji's stomach.

Surely it wouldn't turn out that way…. That'd just be…wrong.

"NAMI!" the cry pierced through the sounds of battle around him and penetrated Sanji's thoughts like an electric shock.

The sound of Chopper's scream filled that hollow pit in his stomach with a horribly leaden feeling. He whirled around, but couldn't make out his friends through the press of bodies. Sanji's blood pounded in his ears at the thought of the beautiful Nami being hurt. He had to find her and save her! He had to—

Despite the shock of recent events and the strain of the last two weeks, Sanji's body moved swiftly and instinctually as he tucked down and rolled out of the path off the long katana aimed to slice his torso in two. Rolling to his feet, the blond twisted to size up his new opponent only to freeze in shock as his gaze rested on the thin old swordsman from before.

"You again…" He muttered as his eyes cast about for a conspicuously absent skeleton. It took only a moment to spot Brook's crumpled form some ways behind the Elder Star. Sanji's jaw clenched as it took a few, long seconds more to locate Brook's head some further meters away.

The memories of prior experiences quickly soothed the panic that was forming in Sanji's chest. Brook's special Devil Fruit abilities and his unique condition assured that his soul would remain as long as there was still a body to be attached to. Meaning nothing short than total annihilation of every bone would truly kill the skeleton. But it made Sanji's blood boil to see a crewmate being tossed aside like so much trash.

His eyes narrowed as he looked back to the old man. "It's not honorable to strike an opponent in the back," he spoke in a level tone, paraphrasing a certain green-haired idiot.

Sanji's eyes flicked to the execution platform. Stupid marimos letting themselves get stabbed, delicate ladies in danger, afro-wearing morons loosing their heads…this day was really going to shit. And it was starting to piss Sanji off.

"Experience rules/For the pup too quick to bark/Defeat is certain," was the old man's reply.

Sanji tapped his toe against the ground, settling his shoes more firmly on his feet. He slipped his jacket off, tossing it to the side to give him more freedom to move. He was going to kick this stupid old fart to the moon, climb that damn tower, and then do the same to that super-irritating melon-head. (He wasn't going to give the possibility of Zoro already being dead another thought.) Then he'd rescue Miss Nami, grab the others and blow this hellhole of a town.

Rolling his shoulders and smiling in a way that did not reach his eyes, he motioned the other man forward. Sanji spoke, having only one thing he felt the need to get off his chest.

"Your haikus suck," he said.

bounce

Franky hated to admit it, but he was at a loss. He was throwing everything he had at that old fatty, and the bastard kept bouncing back. Literally. All Franky's attacks skidded off the rolling ball of flesh, leaving the enemy with barely a scratch. The cyborg was quickly running out of both ideas and cola.

He dodged to the left just as the massive ball-man plowed over the space he'd just occupied. Franky fired off a few rounds, trying to hold the thing's attention while Robin –who had been felled by a direct hit earlier-- struggled to her feet.

Was the old guy invincible? No, he couldn't be. His power was to turn into a freaking ball, for Pete's sake! There had to be a way to beat him!

Franky fought, and while he fought, he thought –quickly. It seemed brute force wasn't going to take the man down. They needed to use their heads then and come up with something clever. The wrecked bleachers gave Franky plenty of materials; he only had to figure how best to use them.

"Come on, Franky," the cyborg muttered to himself. "Think of something and get this ball rolling!"

Franky froze, inspiration striking him like one of Nami's lightning bolts. Of course! Really, sometimes he was so super it even amazed himself. Now, if the big blob could be kept busy for a minute…

"Robin! Tag in for a bit, will ya? I've got a plan."

The dark-haired woman smiled. "Those words are certainly a relief," she said, crossing her arms in preparation for another summoning. "This battle was trying my patience."

"Keep his attention and I promise it'll be over before you can say: Franky, you're a super genius!"

Robin laughed, a light tinkling sound that lifted the tension weighing upon them. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Right." Franky turned towards the torn bleachers as a flurry of hands bloomed around their rotund foe. "Time to get to work."

stand

Usopp cursed weakly, trying not to choke on his own blood. He lay awkwardly across the pavement, staring up at the sky. A steady stream of tears flowed down his face causing his nose to clog and making it even harder to breath.

_Don't worry; it will work out! Somehow…. _

_Everything will work out, somehow…._

How often had he heard those words? How often had he rested his faith on those assurances? And now, look: Is this how it was supposed to work out? How are things supposed to be okay after this? Zoro was gone, thanks to his stupid sense of self-sacrifice. (Oh, and with a little help from Usopp himself.)

How will he ever be able to look Luffy in the eye after this? Everything just went wrong… and he just stood there and let it.

Usopp had welcomed the pain blossoming across his body. The large, ash-haired man was ruthless, and the sniper secretly relished every minute of it. He deserved this pain. He'd take it all; all the pain that Zoro wouldn't be able to feel anymore. Because all this physical pain was a drop in the ocean compared to the paralyzing pain in Usopp's heart.

Whether Usopp considered it a good thing or not, the kid had jumped in before the old man could finish the job. Using his special megaphone, he emitted a cat-wailing shriek that had caused the larger man's muscles to freeze up. Usopp was dropped carelessly to the ground and it was there that he still lay, staring up and the blue sky and cursing it for being so empty.

The Elder Star was currently stumbling around like a drunkard; the kid's disabling attack targeted the inner ear and made everything in there go wonky, causing unbalance, nausea and tunnel vision. The guy wasn't going to recover for a couple of minutes at least. Usopp could grab the kid and run. Aokiji said the mansion should be empty. They could hide in there until the others could meet up with them.

Usopp clenched his hand around the smooth wood of his slingshot.

_Screw that,_ he thought. He wasn't going to run this time! Usopp had enough of being stepped on. He was sick feeling like a loser. Zoro had known exactly what he was doing when he stepped up in front of that jury. He knew he was gonna die and didn't hesitate for even a second. Well, Usopp wouldn't either! He didn't care if he _did_ die; if he was he was going to make sure to take a few of these assholes down with him.

Usopp pulled himself to his feet, wincing as his injuries instantly made themselves known. He'd been pounded into a pulp. Already a rainbow of bruises was appearing over the sniper's skin. Usopp tried to push the pain to the back of his mind. He put his hand in his pouch and pulled out a handful of ammunition. Turning around, he took aim.

"You think you've won, you bastard," he called out, his voice cracked and choked with blood and phlegm. "The great Usopp never backs down from a fight!"

Usopp fired a deadly series of projectiles. The large man jerked as a thousand barbed splinters of metal embedded into his flesh. Almost instantly afterwards, multiple capsules burst against him, coating him with a thick, foul smelling oil. Usopp didn't even pause as he released his fire stars, but then he ran to the wide-eyed kid and tackled him to the ground, just as their enemy erupted into a towering pillar of flame.

"Wow…" the boy under him uttered, staring up at Usopp with grudging admiration. Usopp gave him a wobbly grin in return.

"Such an opponent was nothing for a man of my skills," he boasted, trying to gather a little bit of himself around the cold wash of fury still running through his veins. It wasn't enough…it wasn't a good enough payback for the death of a comrade. He knew his grin had to look unnatural, maybe even frightening.

The kid's eyes widened further. Usopp felt forced to continue talking, when all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry.

"He should have known not to anger a dangerous pirate such as myself." He noticed the boy was shaking. "Hey, I know it was scary, but you're a pirate to now. You've got to--"

"Usopp, b-b-behind you!"

The sniper twisted around and gasped in shock. The giant Elder Star stood over them, still smoldering as his big meaty hands reached for Usopp's throat. Panicking, young man acted on instinct and raised the point of his slingshot up and slammed it into the hollow of the enemy's throat. Choking and gasping, the man stumbled back and Usopp grabbed his companion's arm and dragged him out of range.

Usopp shoved the boy forward before turning to face his still conscious opponent.

"You know where to go!" He shouted back. "Just wait there until one of us gets you!"

"How are you going to fight that guy?" the kid demanded shrilly. "He took everything you hit him with and is _still_ standing!"

"I don't know," Usopp admitted while concentrating on keeping his voice steady. "I'll think of something…"

"I can help!" the stubborn stance than so often marked the quiet boy all but shouted his determination to stay.

"No!" Usopp yelled, that choking anger creeping up again. He fired a couple shots at the old man, intending to keep him back until the kid had escaped. He leveled the boy with a dark glare. "Do you think Zoro let himself get stabbed just so we could all die here?"

The kid blanched and Usopp felt a twinge of remorse. "Just to the mansion and hide. We need someone to make sure the place it clear so we can escape. You go. I'll get the others and we'll be along soon."

A long pause and then, "Do you promise?"

Usopp kept his expression level, no matter how much he wanted to reach out and ruffle the kid's hair. He fit in well with them. He really was a Straw Hat. "Consider it a promise among men," he stated seriously.

"Then you'd better keep it!" Usopp felt a small fist hit him around kidney level, then the sound of hastily retreating footsteps. The sniper let out a sigh of relief, before his throat tightened after catching sight of his enemy once again bearing down on him.

"The Great Usopp does _not_ back down from a fight," Usopp muttered, mostly to himself. Dark eyes still carried that small spark of anger as the sniper pulled the sling back on Kabuto, lining up his next shot before letting it release.

As long as there were still people to protect, the brave warrior of East Blue would fight.

plan

Nami's back burned like it was on fire. She felt her own blood run hot across her ribs and down onto the ground, where it mixed with the dirt and dust to make a paste that tried to glue her in place. Nami could smell the stuff, could taste it in her mouth. It hurt so badly; every move she made was agony.

Cracking open one brown eye, the navigator tried to focus on her surroundings. As much as her wounds hurt, they weren't lethal. She'd expected that lion to finish her off. What happened?

There! To the right: just barely inside her field of vision. The lion-man was grappling with Chopper, the reindeer using his Heavy-Point transformation to try to overtake the other. They rolled and twisted, growling as fur and blood flew during their battle for dominance.

She couldn't hope for Chopper to hold off the giant cat forever. It was twisted, here this guy was one of the top heads of the government, and all they were was meat to him. It made a sick sort of sense, though Nami shuddered at the thought of those yellowed teeth sinking into her flesh.

No! She wouldn't fall here. She still had a world to map! What would Luffy do without a navigator? And Usopp? Hell, the whole crew would be lost without her (literally). She wouldn't be able to bear with the guilt if they all had to give up sailing because she was gone. (No navigator would be skilled enough to replace her, after all.) Besides, she was too young and beautiful to die! And, most importantly: there was still so much gold to steal!

Nami grabbed her weapon and slowly dragged herself to her feet, feeling her flesh pull as the gashes opened wider with the movement. It stung, but the pain was a backdrop now. She wasn't going down so easily. She wasn't going to just roll over and accept her fate like some…some— swordsman!

Using her clima-tact as a crutch, Nami glared up at the iron platform, anger burning within her. What the hell was Zoro thinking? That big idiot! And right in the middle of their escape! And Luffy! Why the hell wasn't he moving? Did he think Zoro did that just so the rubber-man could up and die without lifting a finger? Damn it, she just didn't get men; were they all morons? Nami was trembling now, having worked herself into a fury.

Chopper broke away, panting. He slid across the cobbles, morphing smoothly into deer form. His left foreleg looked twisted and he held it up, like it was broken. He was dazed and bleeding, but when his eye met Nami's they showed that he hadn't given up the fight. The lion skid to a stop a few meters away, looking not much the worse for wear as he gave the reindeer a carnivorous grin.

Nami could take the beast down with her lightning attack; she just knew it! The problem was the enemy was too fast to hit. He had skillfully dodged all her attacks with an agility she couldn't hope to catch. She needed to find a way to draw him in and get him with one massive strike, because Nami knew he'd tear her to pieces before she'd get a second shot.

Chopper charged forward, intent on staying on the offensive even though he was the one taking the most damage. Nami stared at the two as they moved around in a blur of grey and brown fur. She had to think… both their lived depended on it.

"Okay, which furball is on the our side?" A voice asked from behind her. Nami whirled --ready to attack— and froze.

"Mr. Beckman!"

Ben stood over her, perhaps a tad unsteadily. One arm hung uselessly at his side and half his face looked like someone had tried to smash it in. The older man was still grinning fiercely, however, and he held tight to his rifle, even though the stock was badly cracked.

"You were the ones that helped us?" Nami stared up at him, stunned.

"You think I'd be able to keep the captain away?" Ben snorted. It went unsaid that he never would have tried. "I'm here to lend a hand, though in this shape I'm not sure I'll be much use."

Nami's thoughts were racing now, the addition of a third person raising their chances exponentially. She held on to Ben's lightly jibbing words. Furballs. Fur was very conductive to static electricity. If she could somehow boost her attack…

Nami's eyes widened.

"Mr. Beckman--!"

"Ben."

"Ben," Nami amended. "Do you think you can keep that lion busy for a few minutes. Just long enough for Chopper and I to power up?"

"Power up?" Ben raised an eyebrow. Turning, he regarded the beast before them. "AkaInu was a stubborn bastard who gave as good as he got. My whole body aches, but I think a can hold out for a little while longer." His intelligent eyes regarded the navigator levelly. "Just do whatever you're going to do quickly; remember this old bastard isn't the only enemy you need to get by in order to escape."

"Right," Nami nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in the man's admonishment. But this lion guy wasn't going to let them just run away. They definitely had to take him down.

"Whenever you're ready," Ben inclined his head, leaning forward slightly and hefting his rifle at ready.

Nami gripped her clima-tact. Far behind her, Luffy gave out an agonized scream that made everyone freeze and turn to look. Nami's heart wrenched painfully as she remembered just what their captain lost to make him react in such away. She vowed to herself she wouldn't cause him any more pain. She'd win this fight.

Luffy shattered his seastone cuffs. Nami jerked her attention away, recognizing an opening when it was given to her.

"Now!" she hissed softly. Ben grunted and took off running. Taking a deep breath, Nami shouted out in the stillness.

"Chopper! Quick! Come back!"

refuse

Sanji swore as the blade he just dodged nearly took off his nose. He danced away, skipping back out of reach as he struggled to catch his breath. This old baldie was no ordinary swordsman. It was aggravating to admit that he was no match for this foe, but Sanji thought that this guy could have given even Zoro a run for his money.

That didn't mean he was going to give up or anything, though. Sanji was far too stubborn for that.

Sanji had first gone for the power shots, aiming for the chest and head. But the old man's guard was too solid for him to get any hits in. Indeed, the blond was putting himself at more risk going in for such solid direct hits; they left him open for attack, something his foe took well advantage of considering the thin stripes of blood that painted the cook's body.

Dropping that tactic, Sanji opted to fight dirty. He aimed his kicks at his opponent's weak points: the groin, the neck, the joints…Sanji was trying anything in order to get a hit in. But the guy was just too damn fast. He either brought his sword up to block, or slipped to the side and avoided the blows entirely. The man moved at such speed that Sanji was sure he was only being played with. And when the old bastard finally tired, he'd cut him down in an instant. That realization caused Sanji to break out into a cold sweat.

There had to be some way to get the upper hand… Surely there was some angle Sanji was missing.

Sanji's thoughts came up short as the old man abruptly stopped his assault. Holding the long katana in front of his face, he began chanting in a low, hypnotic voice. All other sounds seemed to fade into the background and grow silent.

"What the fu--"

Sanji's words choked off into a gurgle as the swordsman suddenly appeared in front of him. The blond's eyes were wide with pain and disbelief as a shaking hand came up to touch the long blade that had pierced his throat. Sanji shifted slightly, and had the sick feeling of steel scraping against bone from where the sword exited through his spine. Sanji opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a croak and a splash of blood.

He couldn't believe it; he was really going to die here… This was it… Everything—

"—Quick!" A clear voice broke through the silence like a sweet clarion's call. "Come back!"

Sanji's eyes jerked open and he fell backwards. A rush of air stirred his hair as a gleaming sword swiped across the area his neck had just occupied. Sanji gasped, feeling as though he had just broke out from the dark depth of the ocean. His hand (not shaking, he was proud to notice) came up to massage his undamaged throat. So that hadn't been real, he realized with a measurable amount of relief.

_Just an illusion,_Sanji consoled himself. He could still taste the bite of metal in his throat and had to repress a shudder. He had to remember to thank Miss Nami later. Her words had brought him back.

Sanji rolled to the side as the katana crashed down, shearing through the flagstones as if they were freshly baked bread. He had to get up; he couldn't defend himself here on the ground. But his legs didn't want to support him. The old man pressed forward as Sanji scrabbled to get away. He felt the tip of the blade bite into the soft flesh of his lower back. Sanji's eyes squeezed shut as he prepared himself for the pain of being run through —this time for real.

The ringing sound of metal striking metal filled the air, and Sanji felt the blade jar free before making more than a shallow cut. Rolling over, the blond squinted past the sun's blinding rays as he cast his eyes upon the shadowy form of his savior.

"Beggin' your pardon for steppin' in," white teeth flashed in an unapologetic grin. "But you seemed a wee bit over your head, lad."

"Red-Haired Shanks…" Sanji breathed out, not knowing whether to trust his eyes. Was it another illusion? What were the Red Hair Pirates doing in the East Blue when they had been in the deeper reaches of the Grand Line only a month ago?

"Your captain's got friends in high places, it seems."

Shanks effortlessly parried the Elder Star's thrust and swung out with his own sword, driving the old man back. The enemy wasn't spouting poetry now, Sanji noted dryly. The two exchanged a flurried succession of blows and, through it all, Shanks talked to Sanji, his sword and his words dancing lightly in the air.

"The lad sure does pick them, you know? I never figured he was the one in the middle of all that business in Alabasta," he continued on conversationally. "But that's neither here nor there. The long and short of it is we got a missive tellin' of the pickle you all got yourselves in, and figured we'd come to crash the party. After all, we thought it'd be mighty rude to ignore a request from royalty," the redhead laughed. "I'm an Emperor, myself, you know. It's very important to keep up diplomatic relations."

Sanji stared at the man and wondered if he'd gone mad. Sure he'd acted the same way when first the blond had met him, but that hadn't been in the midst of a full-blown attack. Sanji then reminded himself that this was Luffy's idol, after all. It'd only make sense that he seemed a bit unhinged.

"Why don't you run along and let me finish up here? It's as good a time as any to make your escape," Still blocking and casually returning swordplay, the one-armed man jerked his head meaningfully. "I bet your fellows are doing the same."

_Are they really?_Sanji wondered. He turned to look around the crowd for his friends. It was hard to tell through the shifting press of bodies, but he saw no one he recognized running away.

The smart thing to do would be retreat. Wounded and still reeling from recent events, the cook was not in his prime fighting condition. The enemy had twice over proved his superiority over the pirate. He'd even pulled some psycho-whammy attack that had scared the shit out of him. And it wasn't like Sanji had even been able to get a hit in. Hell, the only thing he _had_ managed to repeatedly connect with was the guy's sword, and what good would that do?

What good, indeed. Sanji laughed at himself, wondering when he had turned into such a coward. Zoro would've sneered and asked where his balls had went. Still shaking with silent self-mocking, the blond struggled to his feet.

"While I thank you for the kind offer;" Sanji drawled as he carefully dusted his slacks. "I'll have to pass."

Shanks stared back, all hint of earlier mirth vanished. "This isn't the time for honor, son," he said reprovingly.

Sanji looked up at the towering shadow of the execution stand, not surprised to see a familiar figure struggling to climb it. "You're wrong," he said, his heart beating faster.

"This is exactly the time."

Shanks gave the other all long, hard look and then relented. He took a deliberate step to the side and waved the blond forward. "As you were, then."

broken

Shaking with the effort, Luffy's hands grasped the next beam and clung on tightly as his body kicked and flailed and slowly pulled itself up. He felt dizzy and out of breath; just one glance down gave him the sickening sensation of vertigo. Sweat formed slick and heavy across his body, making his grip tenuous at best. The cuffs binding his ankles restricted his movement. The seastone they were made from sucked his strength dry, until every movement was an effort. It was frightening to admit that, if he fell now, Luffy wasn't sure he'd be able to get back up.

But he was almost there! He wasn't going to give up.

About a meter above him was the splintered wooden surface that marked the top of the execution platform. There was no 'x' shaped beam on this level to help him shimmy up. There were no extra handholds or footholds. There was only the iron beam he stood on and the wooden dais above, a good thirty centimeters out of reach. He would have to jump up to grab it. The edge hung over past the welded lined of the tower. He'd only get one shot. If he missed, he'd fall. He'd fail.

He won't.

Luffy turned and faced inward, letting go of the vertical strut that he was using to support himself. He forced legs that felt like jelly to stand firm for a moment before bending slowly at the knees. His arms hung straight down for balance while Luffy closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

His eyes opened and Luffy pushed off, launching himself outward and upwards as his arms swung out and scarred, calloused hands --always seeming too big for his body-- stretched out towards the wood planks above.

His left hand caught them but slipped. Gravity was beginning to pull on him, trying to drag him down and away from his goal: away from Zoro.

NO!

Luffy's right hand hit the platform and held, splinters dinging into his fingers and the knuckles turning white from the strain. Luffy hung there a moment, letting relief wash over him, before swinging his other hand back up to grab the edge alongside its brother. His feet scrabbled for purchase but met only air. Grunting, Luffy strengthened his grip and pulled up, letting his biceps slowly pull him up centimeter by painstaking centimeter. His arms were shaking by the time his head crested the platform; his muscles burned as his arms straightened. Luffy gave a final push and flung his torso up onto the stand, his lower half still dangling like dead weight over the edge.

Luffy took a moment to catch his breath, his lips pressed up against the weathered wood as tears of exertion stung the corners of his eyes. His whole body sobbed in protest as he forced his elbows under him and crawled the rest of the way onto the platform. Luffy's body gave out on him halfway and he dropped, his firm stomach smacking against the aged boards, causing his breath to expel from his lungs in a sharp whoosh of air.

The first thing Luffy noticed was the heavy scent of hot blood hanging thick in the air, so thick that the metallic taste of it filled his mouth, smothering him. Gritting his teeth against his weakness (against his fears) Luffy raised his head to finally rest eyes on his swordsman.

The wrongness of the scene struck him like a physical blow. Years of association brought forth image after image of Zoro collapsed after battle. Every instance the swordsman landed flat on his back (though occasionally on his face), legs and arms flung outward, as if flopping down into a soft patch of grass. Never, _never_ had Luffy seen him cast aside, like some broken doll.

Not until now.

Zoro lay across the platform, curled on his side, his right leg tucked beneath him. His hands were still cuffed together, forcing his left arm over his torso. His hands lay near his face in a way that was almost child-like, his left hand curled up and his right angled to fall carelessly over the platform's edge. From an outsider's perspective he looked the picture of a man in repose. But Luffy, who knew Zoro with an intimacy second only to what he knew of himself, saw the pose as unnatural and frightening.

Luffy dragged himself closer, working his way around to his first mate's head. The air wasn't filled with the soft snores of a sleeping swordsman; it was another mark against the norm that made Luffy's gut clench painfully.

"Zoro?" he whispered softly in the other's ear, as if afraid to wake him up.

Luffy pulled himself up to sit cross-legged next to Zoro's head. Fingers moved unsteadily through the short moss-covered hair, catching here and there as the strands gummed together with drops of crimson.

"Zoro?"

There was blood, but not a lot. He had seen his partner lose more. His hand left Zoro's head to move further down, gripping the shoulder so tightly it must have been painful. Zoro did not stir. Frowning, Luffy pulled, turning the swordsman over.

Blood splattered everywhere.

Luffy froze, overwhelmed with shock and horror. His eyes jerked around wildly, trying to process the scene before him. Even as he watched, the pool of blood around Zoro spread, dyeing his white shirt red and moving outward to lap eagerly at the hem of Luffy's shorts. Every pump of the man's heart caused the stain to spread, caused a little more life to leak out between his captain's spread fingers.

Forgetting he was still bound, Luffy jumped to his feet and immediately fell over, nearly landing atop his injured comrade. Scrabbling upright, Luffy clumsily crawled towards the edge of the platform, his eyes digging frantically through the crowd to find the one person who could maybe fix this. There: a blot of indistinct brown against the sea of white and grey. His mind full of the sight of lips rapidly turning blue against whitening skin, Luffy clutched the edge and screamed.

"Chopper!" His voice came out ragged and thin, a voice that would never carry over this sea of chaos. His throat tight and burning, Luffy opened his mouth and tried again. "Chopper, I need you!"

It hurt, this horrible emptiness inside him. _Somebody make this pain stop. Chopper --anyone— help me…._

A shadow appeared behind him, coalescing into solid form.

"Your friends are fighting for their own lives," Smoker stated gruffly. "You should be down there with them."

Luffy turned, looking up at the Marine with wide eyes.

"There's nothing to be done for him," Luffy watched Smoker's eyes flick over Zoro, while his words continued on, mercilessly. "Save your help for the living."

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not****read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes:_A nice long chapter to make up for the wait. (Actually, it got rather too long and I had to cut/postpone a few events.) Thanks for all the comments!

Final Betrayal – Chapter Six

resolve

Usopp bit back a scream as the hand around his arm tightened, grinding the shards of broken bone together. The pain was intense; his world narrowed until he could only see a flash of blinding white, and only felt the sharp scalding pain shooting up from his damaged nerve endings. Usopp's legs gave out and he made to fall onto his knees, only his enemy didn't give him the respite. The giant retained his grip and lifted upwards until Usopp was dangling cruelly from his mangled arm.

No matter what he had thrown at his opponent, the old man just kept getting up. Flame stars and exploding stars and caltrops and shurikens; nothing phased this monster. Plus, out in the open square Usopp was at a disadvantage. There was no cover to hide behind, no handy bit of landscape to use against his foe. From the very beginning he had been set up to lose.

Usopp fought with distance and tactics. Lacking the inhuman strength of the other Straw Hat fighters, he had focused on his long ranged attacks and had never mastered fighting in close combat. After the kid had left, he had only been able to get off a so many shots before the enemy was upon him, flinging chunks of flagstone at the sniper. Usopp scrambled to dodge the slabs of granite, quickly giving up his offensive advantage in order to keep from being crushed. He'd covered his head as the rocks crashed to the ground around him, shattering and shooting shrapnel deep into his flesh.

The enemy was upon him before he could recover from his panicked acrobatics. The heavily built Elder Star grabbed Usopp's left arm with one monstrous hand and squeezed. There was a sickening crunch as the bones in Usopp's arm were crushed. The pain caused his vision to white out and his slingshot fell from nerveless fingers. He went limp.

It was over; he was beaten.

"They would eat you alive in Impel Down," the large man spoke with a low baritone and a twisted grin. "If you ask nicely I may just kill you now and save you the torment."

Usopp kicked a leg out, trying gamely to get away. The larger man took the hit without a flinch and –laughing-- tightened his grip. Usopp couldn't keep in the pained whimper that fled from his lips.

He felt fear crawl up his throat: that achingly familiar tang of blood and terror and cowardice. He should have run off with the kid; they could have hidden until this guy had given up looking for them. Who was he kidding with that 'Brave Warrior of the Sea" crap? He'd made it to the end of the Grande Line, he'd helped find the legendary treasure One Piece; what more was he trying to prove?

Usopp berated himself, thinking he should have been content with his achievements and then lived out the rest of his life quietly in Syrup Village. He had plenty of stories to tell Kaya, now. There was no reason to get himself killed. He wasn't like Zoro. He didn't have anything worth dying for….

"Well?" the old man shook him like a dog's toy. "Aren't you going to cry? Beg for your life?" his grin was full of straight, pearly-white teeth. "I do love it when they beg…."

_Damn it…_ Usopp's own teeth ground together and he clenched his eyes shut. He tried to draw up Kaya's pale face, but the image was blurry and indistinct. It had been so long…so much had changed. Unbidden, Kaya's delicate features were replaced by the dark brown eyes and fiery hair of someone closer to him than the wraith-like image of his childhood crush. It was the face of someone who was probably fighting her hardest right now. Someone who definitely wouldn't forgive him if he went and gave up.

How many painful things in her life had Nami had to witness? And just who was Usopp, to so carelessly add to them? _I'll tell you who the hell I am. I'm a Brave Warrior of the Sea, damn it, and I'm not going to lay down and die!_

Reaching into his rucksack with his free hand, Usopp grabbed the first thing his fingers brushed across. It one swift movement, the sniper jerked his hand out and shot it forward, shoving the object straight into that laughing mouth full of perfect teeth. Quickly --while surprise was still etched on his enemy's features-- Usopp drew his fist back and plowed it into the other man's jaw, shattering the little glass sphere and activating the contents within.

A giant explosion burst out from the Elder Star's head; so powerful that it flung Usopp up and out of the man's grip. He landed jarringly on the cobblestones a meter away, his breath knocked out of him and his arm screaming in pain. The area around was tinted orange with flames. Heat infused his body where the skin was bared.

A shiver wracked the pirate's spine as he realized that explosion could have very well taken off his head. As it was his face felt sunburnt and his right fist had turned red and blistered.

Well, he didn't think he'd be in a hurry to try that trick again. Shaking slightly, Usopp sat up (It was painful; everything hurt.), and looked to see what his attack had done to the other guy. The Elder Star was still smoking and this time he seemed to be down for good. The sniper sighed in relief (and then winced, because even that hurt).

A low whistle jerked Usopp's attention to the right. A man with long dreadlocks was looking down at him.

"Well color me impressed!" Yasopp grinned widely, despite the blood dripping down his chin and one eye half-swelled shut. "Never let it be said you can't end a fight with a bang."

"D-dad?" Usopp felt as if his eyes were bulging from their sockets. He was so surprised that he forgot his prior vow (to himself, after their last meeting) to address his father by name: as equals.

"I came to lend my son a hand, though it seems I'm not needed."

Usopp forced his mouth to work, even though his tongue felt two times its normal size. "W-wha-what are you doing _here_?"

Yasopp had just answered that, but both men knew there was more to it, and they saw too little of each other for the answer not to be more candid.

Yasopp placed a chapped hand atop his son's bandanna. His low voice was hardened only from the conviction of his words. "I wasn't there for you when you needed me once, lad. It's a mistake I don't plan to repeat."

Usopp felt his face flush. "Oh…umm, thanks…" He looked away, because brave warriors don't cry (especially in front of their long estranged fathers).

Yasopp was the first to shake the quiet mood. "Up lad," he said, pulling the younger to his feet with firm but gentle hands. "I imagine your friends will soon be gathering up. You'd better pull yourself together if you want to make good and get away."

"R-right… Wait!" Usopp grabbed his father's arm. "You're not coming with us?"

There was an unmistakable twinkle in Yasopp's eye. "And miss the rest of the fun? Nah! We'll act the proper rear guard and hold 'em off till you and yours get away."

"But--"

"Listen to your Da, won't you?" Yasopp slapped the other on the back, nearly knocking him over. "That's your weapon over there, right? Oh, but this thing takes two hands to use. You'll not be able to wield it with your arm in that shape."

Usopp stood still as his father strapped his slingshot across his back. He felt outside himself, like he always did in his father's presence. He could only stare numbly as the older man reached into his jacket and pulled out a pistol. His face serious, Yasopp pressed it into his son's hand.

"You only need one hand for this, yes? It's only good for one shot but often it's the one that counts. Take it and take care."

"Dad…" Usopp's voice was uneven with unspoken emotion.

"You done me proud boy. I'm sure we'll meet again soon." Another pat to the shoulder and Yasopp was gone, working his way through the crowd to find his shipmates once more.

Usopp stood there silently for a long moment, feeling like the center of a maelstrom. What energy that revived him upon seeing his dad was gone now. His body ached all over, but it seemed like it was his heart that hurt the worst. He didn't know what he had done to be proud about.

Usopp's head was filled with what had happened and what didn't and all the should-have-beens-but-were-nots. He couldn't help but think he should have acted differently, and then maybe things wouldn't have gotten so messed up. But the practical part of him realized that he couldn't have fixed the situation, and nothing he _did_ do really affected the train that had already been barreling uncontrollably down the tracks. Real life wasn't like his stories. Real life hurt more but –as Usopp was finally beginning to understand— you took more away from it. Things that really meant something.

Usopp began to move. He needed to find the others.

He ran towards the execution platform, reasoning that it was the most likely place for everyone to gather. He thought he saw Luffy kneeling atop it while he was fighting but the next time the sniper looked he was gone. Maybe he was still up there; the angle was bad so Usopp really couldn't tell. Maybe he had gotten Zoro and he was okay and they were both waiting for Usopp so they could escape this madness and then laugh about it later, because if it were one of his stories that'd be how it'd go.

But it wasn't. It was real, and it hurt and Usopp wondered what he could possibly take from this except for heartache and the broken remains of a pirate crew. That is if he could even find the others. Maybe he should just join the kid and wait for them inside the mansion….

"What do you mean you don't have any rumble-balls?" Usopp skidded to a stop as a shrill shriek jarred his ears. "My plan won't work without one!"

A higher-pitched, equaling angry voice answered Nami. "Damn it, if I had a rumble ball, don't you think I would have used it already?" Chopper cried. "I was getting slaughtered out there!"

By now Usopp could pick the two of them out of the crowd. They were standing off to one side, alternating between screaming at each other and watching a large man wrestle with a giant half man/half lion. Usopp swallowed, thinking that just maybe he had gotten off easily. Then the long-nosed man started pushing through the crowd and towards his friends. Now and then some low-ranked marine would try to stop him, but the pirate skillfully avoided them. A handful of caltrops, a smoke bomb, a good old thwack to the head, and if that failed he simply ran away. He didn't use the pistol shoved into his sash. That weapon caused a sort of permanent solution that Usopp wasn't ready to dole out on people who were just following orders.

By now he had drawn close enough that he could see his friends and hear their panicked voices clearly. Nami had Chopper by the fur and screaming at him nearly incoherently.

"Ben's out there going against that thing thinking that we've got a plan! What are we going to do? He's going to get creamed!"

"May-be if you'd st-op sh-ak-ing me, Na-mi, we can think of some-thing--"

Usopp stopped to dodge a pointy-looking halberd. While he evaded his newest attacker he thrust his good hand into his pouch and rummaged around. It had to be in there: that something he had stuck in his pack in case of an emergency… There was always some unforeseen circumstance. Usopp spent his nights lying awake conjuring them up in order to prepare for them (his favorite unforeseen circumstances were the ones that were foreseen). He had put 'it' _there_, hadn't he? In a hidden pocket on the left, so he wouldn't accidentally use it as ammunition. It was something casually pilfered one day, while distracting its creator with the tale of the flying, blood-sucking wombats of eastern Austeria. He didn't even know why he took it: partly curiosity but mostly just _in case_.

Usopp's fingers closed around the object and he pulled it into view. It was a single, yellow rumbleball. A grin crept over Usopp's face.

"Oiy, Nami!" he called out, clutching the orb to his chest. Maybe he'd be able to do some good after all. Maybe there was something in this hellish day about which he _could_ make a difference.

Ever so slightly, Usopp's spirits lifted.

dark

Robin smacked into the cobbles with a muffled grunt. She lay still, waiting for the crushing force pressing over her to move away. And –after grinding her into the ground for a moment— the weight lifted. Robin immediately rolled away and summoned her hands to form a shield over herself as the ball-man descended down for another strike.

The rotund Elder Star did as predicted, barreling down on the pirate once more, but Robin's shell of hands blocked the blow and forced the enemy to rebound back up into the sky. Robin quickly transformed her makeshift shield into a massive hand made up from many smaller limbs joined together. The hand struck out and batted the human ball away into the distance.

Pulling unsteadily to her feet, Robin spat, trying to rid her mouth of the blood that she could feel staining her teeth. She felt rather battered, not surprising considering the brute force carried by the enemy's devil fruit powers. Her own powers had sent him flying a fair bit away, buying them at least a few precious minutes.

The historian didn't bother to turn and gauge Franky's progress, trusting the cyborg to accomplish what he set out to do. Instead, she directed her attention to the execution platform and the indistinct figures atop it. Robin carefully judged the distance separating her from her target and bloomed a single arm out of the weathered wood near where Luffy crouched. Closing her eyes, Robin concentrated, and a small eye opened on the apparated palm.

She couldn't hear that which she spied upon, but the scene itself told her more than enough. Luffy knelt before a fallen Zoro, with the bulky form of Smoker standing sentinel over them. Luffy had removed his shirt, and was using the tattered cloth in a desperate attempt to staunch the swordsman's seeping wounds. Luffy's face was white with fear and he was shouting something, possibly directed at the stone-faced commodore, or possibly towards the still and grey-skinned Zoro.

Robin held the hand steady, watching. Zoro's bloodstained chest did not move. Robin bowed her head—

--And heard Franky scream her name. She looked up (her real eyes this time, her other dissolving as her concentration broke) just in time to watch the heavy, spinning form of the Elder Star zooming toward her. The ball-man plowed into Robin before she could raise any defenses. Momentum kept her in place as her foe continued onward, stopping only when he (and Robin) had smashed into the thick stone wall of the nearest building. Smashed between her enemy and solid rock, Robin cried out, blood splashing out from between her lips.

She heard, over the buzzing in her head, Franky call out to her again, but she couldn't answer. Robin slowly slumped to the ground as everything around her went dark.

static

"Nami, are you sure this is going to work?" Chopper asked in a wavering voice that was nearly muffled by the furry barrier of his Guard Point. After dropping in miraculously with a rumble ball in hand, Usopp had run off, shouting something about a bunch of marines and Brook's severed head. His savior gone, Chopper was left alone in Nami's clutches, victim to whatever bizarre plan she'd chosen to act upon.

"It'll work! It has to!" Nami grunted, not even slowing as she frantically rubbed her metal staff against the reindeer's thick fur. Chopper looked like nothing more than a giant puffball. He rocked slightly with her overly energetic movements, his fur standing on end and beginning to crackle from the build up of static electricity.

"And what exactly is this supposed to do again?" Chopper asked tentatively, not sure he really wanted to hear the answer.

Nami looked up from her work only long enough to spot Ben and the Elder Star battling a short distance away. They both were looking fairly roughed up but it was easy to see –with Ben already being injured and worn down from a previous battle— that the odds weighed heavily against their side. Frowning, Nami turned back to her work, rubbing the staff faster than before.

"That big, smelly furball is too fast to hit with my thunder tempo," Nami explained, smirking slightly as her hair began to stand on end. "We're filling your fur with static electricity. When you're thoroughly charged we'll lure him over to you. As soon as he touches you the buildup in your fur transfers to him, acting as a conductor, drawing in the thunderbolt I'll be forming up above. One zap and that lion is fried. It's foolproof!"

Chopper's eyes widened in alarm. He saw quite a few problems in this plan, himself, and all of them related directly to the reindeer's future well being.

"I think we need a new plan," he whimpered.

"Chopper, please," Nami's eyes were dark and beseeching. "I can't do this without you."

Feelings of both fear and pride rose within the little reindeer, making him slightly queasy. The extra fur around him wasn't helping matters and he panted heavily from the heat. Chopper was sick and he was tired and he was wounded, but he knew he couldn't run away now. Nami was counting on him; Ben as well. He had to be brave…

"Alright," Chopper muttered. "Just tell me what to do."

Nami smiled in relief. "All you have to do is stay poofy, and I'll do the rest." Chopper broke in to state angrily that he was not 'poofy', but the redhead ignored him and went on to warn, "Just make sure not to touch anything else but that lion."

"Okay…" Chopper replied in a very small voice. Being brave sure was tough. He wondered how Usopp managed it.

break

Sanji's heel connected with the elder's katana for the fourth consecutive time. His movements were speeding up, new determination filling his soul. He finished his own battles, damn it. This would not be an exception. He struck out again, his kick causing the enemy's weapon to ring from the impact.

The blond's kicks were graceful and fluid; his movements were lightning-quick. The enemy couldn't find and opening through his attacks; Sanji wasn't giving him the chance. Spinning and twisting, the cook's heavy-heeled shoes connected over and over with the old man's sword.

"I can't, in good conscience, leave you to this fight without seeing you get a single hit in," Shanks called out from the side, his tone just shy of taunting.

Sanji's leg snapped out one more time, once again striking nothing but the thin metal blade of his opponent. He backed off, glaring over at the redhead and panting.

"Just what do you think you've been looking at?" the blond demanded crossly.

Spying an opening, the Elder Star shot forward, intending to finish this battle with one strike. He raised his katana, aiming to take off the irreverent young man's head. Eyes narrowing, Sanji brought one leg up to block.

"Stupid boy!" Shanks called out. "You'll lose your leg!"

The gleaming katana, undoubtedly a relic handed down for generations, struck its victim at the kneecap— and shattered. While the old man stood gaping at his broken weapon, his foe followed through, landing a solid hit to the face. The Elder Star flipped end over end and landed in a crumpled heap three meters away.

"H-how…?" the defeated man gasped. It was Shanks who answered.

"With every kick you struck the exact same spot on his sword. The repeated blows weakened that part of the metal so that –when used for an attack— it couldn't hold up to the strain its wielder put upon it." Shanks gave a rueful grin. "I'm impressed, lad. That plan wouldn't have worked if your kicks were even a fraction of a bit off."

Sanji grinned cheekily in return.

"Impossible…" The old man moaned.

Sanji stood above, two fingers pressed to his lips. "Don't anger the cook/ because if you piss him off/ he'll kick your ass."

"T-that was only sixteen… syllables…"

"Yeah well, I'm more a lover than a poet." Sanji's foot kicked out one last time, rendering his enemy unconscious.

"I should have expected as much from a lad raised by the famous Red Leg Zeff," Shanks laughed, clapping the slender man jovially on his uninjured shoulder.

"The bastard had it coming," Sanji muttered, running a hand through his hair and wincing at the texture of it. Boy, did he need a bath.

"Sanji!" a voice called off to the right. "Sanji!"

"Usopp?" Sanji turned.

The sniper was running towards him, looking beat three ways from Sunday and carrying something dark and fuzzy under one arm.

"Well," Shanks pulled away. "There's plenty more heads to bash, I expect. I should pull out and leave you boys to it. I wouldn't dawdle if I were you. You should gather up the rest of yours and make for the harbor before the government calls for reinforcements. Just hide out for a spell and lick your wounds."

Sanji opened his mouth to protest, but caught sight of the execution stand and could only nod silently. He felt one more, sympathetic, pat to his back, before the older pirate withdrew and he had his hands full off a panting, hysterical Usopp (that for some reason was holding Brook's severed head).

After a lengthy explanation, Sanji agreed to help find the rest of their skeletal crewmate. Brook's body was right where he last saw it, laying a short distance away from a half-empty sack from which poked out the hilts of three familiar katana. Leaving Usopp to the haphazard reattachment (i.e. glueing) of their comrade's cranium, Sanji bent and gathered these up with careful hands. He stood there silently as Usopp got Brook up and talking, his expression drawn and pained.

"Can you walk?" he asked after a minute.

There was a pause in which Brook must have nodded, but seeing that the blond wasn't looking his way, the skeleton hastened to speak up. "I believe so, yes."

"Right," still not looking at them, Sanji clutched the swords more firmly across his chest. "Let's gather up the others."

strike

Ben Beckman threw a powerful uppercut, striking the towering lion-man in the maw, causing yellow teeth to snap closed on the giant cat's lolling tongue. With a pained roar, the beast swiped out with his sharp black claws, glancing across the pirate's shoulder. The two enemies broke away, nursing their wounds and sizing each other up before moving in to attack again.

Ben dimly made note of the blood dripping down his burning shoulder. AkaInu had dislocated that limb earlier, so the arm was useless for this fight anyway. He ignored that wound for now to focus on the others. The grey-haired man sported a clear set of teeth marks on his upper thigh, and a particularly nasty claw mark across the throat. It missed anything vital but it served as a reminder that the foe Ben was fighting had all the strength and instinct of the animal he resembled, but he carried all the cunning and brains of a human.

The enemy hadn't come through it unscathed, though. Ben's rifle caught the cat straight in one of its yellow eyes, blinding him on that side. And the Zoan's sides were bruised and tender from the pirate's powerful fists. The Elder Star was in a humanoid-lion form, because the cat shape he used earlier –as fast as it was— didn't allow the old man to escape the pirate's long and vicious reach. He now towered well over two hundred centimeters, with sinewy arms stretching as long as he was tall. Had he been in his top form, Ben had no doubts that he could've still emerged the victor but --as it stood-- the two stood in a frustrating, bloody deadlock.

"I'll rip out your heart, pirate!" the lion-man growled. "I'll feast on it while it's still beating!"

"My heart's too small and tough for you to gum, old man," Ben sneered back.

A hot wind hit his face and Ben risked a glance upwards. Dark clouds were circling low overhead, forming an intimidating cluster of thunderheads. It seemed like the kids were almost ready. Ben shot forward, intending to keep up the fight until he had gotten the signal. He hadn't yet seen Shanks and the others; he could only hope that they were finishing things up quicker than he. Every minute spent on this island increased their chances of incurring unnecessary casualties, like the young man on the platform. Ben could help but feel angry at himself for that. If only they had moved in a little bit sooner….

With a shout, Ben jumped over the massive paw moving in to strike him down. He shot upwards, over the lion-man's head before descending. Ben twisted his body on the way down, kicking his leg out to strike a bone-cracking blow to the enemy's spine. The Elder Star fell forward with a gasp filled with pain and astonishment.

"Mr. Beckman!" the young redhead woman cried.

Ben took that as his cue and withdrew to a safe distance away. There he watched as the old lion struggled to his feet with an angry roar.

"What's the matter, fuzz-brain?" Nami called out tauntingly. "Cat got your tongue?"

The Elder Star turned his attention to the young pirates. "That's it… you're snack food!"

"Come and get it!" the redhead drew her staff back like a baseball bat. "Just make sure you don't choke--" she swung it forward swiftly smacking it into the reindeer's round form. "--on a fur ball!"

The old man leapt forward; Chopper flew at him, a high-pitched squeal slipping from his mouth. Nami raised her staff to the sky. The reindeer and the lion met in mid-air, static electricity crackled around them and till they looked as though they were backlit by blue flame.

"Nami-cho Attack: Super Thunderbolt Tempo!" the redhead cried, and a golden flash erupted from the end of her staff, shooting up into the sky and striking the roiling clouds with a deafening echo of thunder. The air crackled with energy and the dark sky soon answered the navigator's call. A white-hot bolt of lightning split the air and struck through the two Zoan creatures like a carefully aimed arrow. The aftershock blasted everyone in the surrounding area backwards.

Ben hastened to regain his feet, his ears ringing and the afterimage of the bolt glowing blue-green behind his eyelids. Nami was already running forward, ignoring the charred body of the Elder Star and sliding across the broken cobbles to kneel beside the black and unmoving reindeer. Ben moved to join her, his expression neutral and his thoughts carefully blank, trying not to think about Luffy's unhappiness when faced with this battered and dwindling crew.

"Chopper… Chopper, are you okay?"

The reindeer –now in his diminutive form— gave a great hacking cough and slowly sat up. Two bright eyes stared out of a face covered in soot and singed fur. "I thought I was dead!" Chopper suddenly cried. "Never make me do that again, damn it!"

Nami laughed and scooped the other up in a smothering hug, to which the doctor protested with a great amount of cursing and blushing. He looked happy about it though. Ben allowed himself a smirk before reality pressed again on his thoughts.

"Good work," he nodded at the two. "I don't think that lion will be moving about anytime soon. But we've taken too long. You need to find your captain and your crew and get out of here."

"R-right…" Nami agreed shakily, looking suddenly tired and lifeless. Chopper blinked up at him.

"What about you?"

Ben found his battered rifle and shouldered it. "I've got my own captain to find."

"Thank you for your help, Ben!" Nami suddenly called out.

The older pirate smiled. "You two take care," he said with a parting wave. Trusting the young ones to follow his advice, Ben turned his attentions to seeking out the other members of the Red Hair crew. The battle had been more strenuous than anticipated. They'd have to make their own retreat soon or risk the same fate as the benighted Straw Hats. Ben did not envy the Pirate King's crew. For them, the worst battle remained ahead.

There was no greater pain than the loss of a friend.

spin

"You bastard!" Franky growled, shooting forth his iron fist and knocking the enemy aside.

He had just finished his Ball-Man Secret Weapon when he turned to see Robin get blindsided. She hadn't been on guard at all. Why had she been just standing there in the middle of a battle? Franky wasn't sure but he knew that, since it was Robin, that she probably had good reason. Regardless, she had paid the price for her inattention. The archeologist was slumped among a pile of rubble and –though it was hard to tell from this distance— she appeared to be unconscious.

Of course it was nothing more serious than that, Franky told himself. Robin was made of stronger stuff than that. She wouldn't die that easily.

There was a warbling laugh emanating from the Elder Star. Pissed, Franky nearly took the bait and charged after the rolling orb. He stopped himself after the first step. As mad as he was --as much as he wanted to rip that old man apart with his own hands-- he knew that the way to winning was to stick to the plan.

Franky heaved a calming sigh and stepped back into place. The main key to this plan was to have the enemy come to him.

"Oiy! No-Balls!" he called out. "Do you think you can hit a moving target? You carnival game reject!" Franky did a few quick dance moves, looking completely unconcerned. "What do you think? You like that? Unh, uhn!"

The old man apparently wasn't fond of the cyborg's strutting because he whirled up a building and circled around, picking up speed as he aimed straight for the gyrating pirate. Which was exactly what Franky wanted.

He kept up his super flashy moves, but his feet no longer left the cobblestones. The ball-man was plowing towards him at full speed, closing the distance fast. Franky waited until he was a split-second from getting creamed; just when he could have reached out and touched the spinning man Franky grinned and –with a glint gleaming off his sunglasses— the cyborg stepped to the side.

"Your problem is that you take too long to recover after an attack," he explained as the Elder Star shot past him. "Your super speed means you can't change direction quickly, which landed you straight into my trap."

The ball-man barreled straight onto a ramp that shot him into a large wooden structure. The smooth surface offered no resistance as he rolled along, his speed never decelerating as he spun around and around in an endless loop.

"Franky's special Anti-Ball Battle Donut," Franky called out with satisfaction. "At the speed you were at, you'll be spinning around that thing for some time before you can stop yourself. More than enough time for us to get away." His grin still in place, the cyborg sauntered away from the battle.

Franky dropped down in a squat before Robin, his grin giving way to a pout. "And of course you're still out cold and didn't get to see how super I was. Ch…" Despite his churlish words he lifted the dark-haired woman up carefully, one hand slipping to her neck to confirm the steady pulse he told himself he knew would be there. Straightening, he looked around for signs of the others.

What he saw was a whole division of marines, armed with rifles, sabers and cannons, every one of them aimed at him and his unconscious companion.

Franky cursed. He had used the last of his cola getting that ball-bastard off of Robin. His aqua-blue hair hung limply over his head. He didn't know how he could pull off fighting all these goons, never mind protecting his burden in the process.

Turns out he didn't have to.

A rotund form suddenly dropped in front of him. For a moment Franky thought that the old man had somehow broken free from his donut trap, but the man before him seemed naturally round and was clad in green stripes instead of white robes. A pistol in one hand, a haunch of meat in the other, Franky quickly recognized the figure as Lucky Roux, a pirate under Luffy's red-haired friend Shanks.

Roux turned his head back towards them, his grin telling Franky plainly that he'd take care of these leftovers. Franky nodded his thanks and settled Robin more comfortably against his shoulder. He was old enough to know when to fight and when to run. What was important now was to find the others and escape safely. Turning, he ran, forcibly ignoring the shouts and shots erupting in his wake.

fall

"Zoro. Wake up." Luffy's voice was tight as he shook his mate's unresponsive form.

He wouldn't wake up. Why wouldn't he wake up? Was he mad at him? Was all of this some twisted way for the swordsman to get back at him?

Luffy would have given anything for that to be so. As it was, staring at Zoro's blue face, Luffy felt the blackness of despair finally begin to blanket over him. The blood was still seeping from Zoro's chest, but it had slowed drastically without the steady rise and fall of his breathing to spur it on. Luffy raised one hand to rub at his face in anguish, uncaring that the motion left the side of his face covered in a garish mask of his first mate's blood.

He didn't know what else to do. He couldn't give up, though. He wouldn't! Not when they had come so far.

Luffy bent and put his lips over Zoro's, breathing into him in a copy of all the times the swordsman had brought him back from the brink. He tore away suddenly; his mouth filled the thick, bitter taste of blood. Terrified, he watched a trail of the stuff spill out of Zoro's mouth and slide down across his face.

"Get out of here, Strawhat. Don't waste the chance he gave you."

Luffy averted his face, ignoring Smoker's existence as he crawled awkwardly around to grasp Zoro under his arms.

"Zoro. We gotta go, Zoro," he whispered in a heartbreaking tone as he tugged, inching the green-haired man across the platform. "Come on. My feet are cuffed. I…" Luffy swallowed convulsively. "I can't carry you. You've got to get up, and then Chopper can fix you. Chopper can fix anything. You'll be all right…just hold on…."

"He stopped breathing five minutes ago," Smoker stated gruffly. "He's gone."

"He'll be fine!" Luffy shouted stubbornly, slipping in a puddle of blood and falling backwards. "I just need to get him to Cho--"

"Damn it!" Smoker roared. "Do you want Roronoa to die for nothing?"

Already the troops were mobilizing, cutting off the exits out of the plaza. Smoker could see the harbor from this height. The hundreds of Marine ships that once docked there were gone, but there were dark specks littering the horizon. Reinforcements. If Strawhat and his crew didn't hurry, they would be recaptured before even stepping foot back onto their ship.

He had tried to be nice, considering the loss the young man had just been dealt. Even now he stood, watching the dark-haired pirate as he knelt brokenly before his fallen friend, unwilling to be the one to break them apart. Watching them, it suddenly hit Smoker that these boys had yet to see twenty-five summers. They were children. Children that had fought and bled and died for their beliefs, but children nonetheless.

Without taking the time to think, Smoker raised one heavily booted foot and shoved it into Luffy's chest, kicking the pirate backwards and off of the platform. Luffy cried out in protest, reaching out to catch himself but without the use of his Devil's Fruit powers he could do nothing to stop his descent. The pirate seemed to fall in slow motion; the tears that had been dammed back only now breaking through and flying upwards and away before gravity tore them back to the ground.

"Sorry, kid," Smoker muttered as he watched Luffy being caught by the blue-haired cyborg from his crew. "This is what he'd want." His eyes flicked to Zoro. Screaming and struggling, the Strawhat boy that was Pirate King was carried quickly out of sight.

Smoker turned back and regarded the body at his feet. Zoro's blood was beginning to overtake the platform. Soon, drops of blood would rain down on the mob below. By morning, a single crimson-stained shirt would go for millions on the black market: valuable memorabilia of 'the Great Pirate King's Execution'. For those who couldn't afford such a token, an up-close view of several severed portions of the condemned would be displayed on select islands across the Grand Line. The head itself would be kept on display here in Loguetown long after the flesh had dissolved away to sun-bleached bone.

It would be a goddamned circus.

Smoker angrily clenched his fists, his leather gloved creaking from the strain. He wouldn't watch it again. He wouldn't allow another child's innocent dreams of adventure rot away at the bitter horror of 'Justice'. Smoker lived by his own brand of justice, and he'd be damned if he'd stand by and watch a good man's body be ripped to pieces for show.

Seeing a familiar flash below, Smoker's foot kicked out a second time. With a not-so-gentle nudge, Roronoa's body rolled off the platform and fell towards the ground below. Smoker watched the as the broken figure was swallowed up by the crowd. He could only hope that _that guy_ would take over from there.

Closing his eyes, Smoker let his body dissolve as he prepared to flow down and help restore order to his hometown. He'd fight off the wayward pirates. He vowed not to stop until the whole lot of them was pushed back into the sea. He'd chase them all the way to Reverse Mountain, herding them all into the Grand Line, to be captured later. Justice would have to wait for a better day.

The sky above him seemed to agree. Never quite clearing again after the pirate-girl's lightning attack, the black clouds only lifted and spread, covering the sky in a muffled fleece. In a twisted sense of deja vous, the heavens opened and poured down onto the island. The sound of fighting dimmed, overshadowed by rolling thunder and the slap of rain against the cobbles. A pink waterfall formed around and below him as the blood was washed away from the execution platform.

A harsh wind blew in and Smoker quickly reformed, letting the rain his face in a parody of bitter tears. Forgetting his vow of just a moment before, Smoker stood there on the platform and stewed as the downpour soaked him to the skin, the blackness above doing well in reflecting his mood.

"This day's gone to shit," Smoker grimaced, staring down at the chaos below.

life

Shanks looked up, his hair quickly becoming plastered to his head. "This rain is Dragon's doing. I'd bet my ship on it."

"Impeccable timing, that one," Ben grumbled half-heartedly. He had broken his rifle on a cannonball just some minutes back. Shanks smirked at him a moment before taking in the rest of his crew. Everyone looked battered and, now, waterlogged to boot. Just a bunch of drowned rats, Shanks mused to himself, knowing he appeared no better.

"The stars of the show have made their exit," he stated, gaining the other's attention. "Time to pull back, lads."

Yasopp opened his mouth to reply but stalled as his deeply honed instincts prompted him to quickly jump back. A large object crashed to the ground right where the sharpshooter once stood.

"What the devil?" he cried. "Bodies are falling from the sky!"

"It's Roronoa Zoro." Ben said, noting the unmistakable hair on the facedown form. He turned with the others to look at the captain for orders.

Shanks frowned and shook his head. "We can't do anything for him," he said, regret clear in his voice. "As sad as it is to say, it'll be hard enough escaping this here pickle without carting around a dead bloke."

Just the Zoro gave a great racking cough, blood shooting from his mouth to splatter against their boots before the rain washed it away. The swordsman took a giant indrawn breath and coughed again, clearing more of the red stuff from his lungs.

"Well, he's still breathing, Captain." Ben said, feeling the need to state the obvious as the others recovered from their shock.

Shanks expression was dark. "Not for long, with those wounds." Ben noted the redhead was forcing his voice to stay cold. He said nothing, leaving his captain to his own decisions. But Yasopp wasn't that accommodating.

"He's a friend of my boy's," he stated pleadingly. "And he's Luffy's first. We just can't leave him here to the dogs."

Shanks looked pained, but shook his head.

"But Cap--"

"I'll carry em." Lucky Roux broke in as he dropped his haunch of meat. Everyone turned and stared at him.

"Whut?" the round man shrugged. "We got at least try to stitch 'im up." He lifted his goggles and leveled unblinking eyes at his captain.

Shanks sighed. "Bring him then." He made it a point to ignore everyone's grins. He took off his dark cape and tossed it to Roux. "Tie it about him, it should stanch the worst of the leaks."

Roux did as he was told as Yassop and Ben guarded their backs from the handful of foolhardy marines. Brooding as the rain cause his thin white shirt to cling to his skin, Shanks stared down at Zoro's pale and bloody face. "You better be all the fighter I've heard about lad," he said softly. "Cause I'm in no mood take you to your funeral."

gone

Luffy landed flat on his back onto Sunny's deck, all the fight suddenly drained out of him. He lay there in the grass, panting, as everyone else rushed around to get the ship moving. Their escape was not yet assured as troops still fired at them from land and marine ships were closing in from the sea. They were counting on Laboon to help them there, since it was due to the giant whale's efforts that they had gotten to the ship at all.

There had been thousands of troops waiting for them as they reached the harbor. Rows and rows of Marines that stood on the stone dock between the pirates and their ship. Luffy had been still struggling against Franky's grip, desperate to get back to the plaza: back to Zoro. Robin still lay unconscious in the cyborg's other arm. Brook's head had been reattached slightly askew, so the skeleton kept running randomly into walls; the kid was force to repeatedly drag him back on course. Chopper and Usopp both had broken arms and Nami and Sanji were leaning on each other, blood loss from their wounds making them slightly dizzy. They were all standing on willpower alone as they shivered in the rain and stared at their freedom floating only a few meters away. None of them had the strength left to fight.

That was when Laboon came to the rescue, slamming his massive head against the stone wall and sending most of the marines tumbling into the water in a rain of falling rubble. The remaining enemy took one look at the enormous monster and fled, leaving the path to the Thousand Sunny clear.

Luffy stared blankly up the grey blanket of clouds above his head. Luffy wasn't fool enough not to know that his dad had been behind the storm. The rain still fell, but it was now a mere drizzle. It looked as if it would disperse just as suddenly as it came, giving way to blue skies and sunshine once more. He stared up at the thinning clouds; he didn't want to see the sun right now.

He felt empty, hollow, but inexplicably heavy at the same time. It took so much effort to move, to think. He could hear his companions above him, talking, shouting. But their words were just a dull buzz droning in Luffy's ears. Only when their words hit upon a certain person did the dark-haired boy begin to listen.

"We have to go back for him!" Sanji was shouting, staring down anyone who'd meet him in the eye.

"Damn it, cook!" Franky shouted back, looking like he wanted to punch something. "There's no one to go back for!"

Sanji grabbed a hold of the cyborg's shirt, but shaking the man was tantamount to shaking a mountain. Still Sanji retained his grip. "How the hell do you know?" he snarled.

It was Robin who answered. Conscious now, she sat a short distance away, her face pale and one delicate hand hugging her ribs. "I checked," her voice sounded hollow, hollow like Luffy felt. "He was not breathing, Sanji."

Luffy's chest seized up with pain.

"Shit!" Sanji release his hold on Franky and whirled away so his face was hidden from the others. "What the hell was that idiot thinking?" he railed, his voice cracking. "Stupid, shit swordsman…goddamn it!" He kicked out, busting the nearby railing into kindling. No one reprimanded him for it.

Turning his head slowly, Luffy saw Nami and Chopper huddled together, fat tears rolling down their cheeks. Off to the left, the kid stood, looking stricken, though he struggled to keep his expression neutral. His lower lip kept pulling downward, giving him away. Above him, Franky and Sanji stood, tension coming off of each in waves. Just looking at them all made the ache in Luffy's chest intensify.

Usopp stepped out of the shadows, speaking up for the first time since the pirates had regrouped. His normally tan face was a pasty shade of white and his body seemed to shake as much as his words.

"Sanji's right," his voice cracked. "Even if—Even if…" he couldn't say it. "We can't just leave him there!"

Sanji whirled on him, his eyes wide and wild with unshed sorrow. "What do you care, Longnose? You're the one who helped get him into this!"

Usopp fell back, looking as if he'd been struck.

"Back off, Blondie," Franky was quick to interject. "This isn't his fault."

"Isn't it?" Sanji shot back. "We must have been watching different trials then because I thought for sure this bastard agreed with that idiots stupid claims!"

"Just cool down, damn it!" Franky stood toe to toe with the cook, and looked a hairsbreadth from coming to blows on the subject. Sanji didn't back down.

"What the fuck? Cool down? Zoro just got himself executed, right in front of our damn eyes!"

Luffy took a deep breath in. It hurt.

"Blaming your bro ain't gonna change that," Franky sighed, trying to appeal to reason. "If you want revenge, get it on those bastard marines."

But Sanji didn't feel like being reasonable. "That's exactly what I plan to do if you'd just LET ME OFF THE FUCKING SHIP!"

"Sanji," a female voice, choked and broken and barely recognizable as Nami's. "You can't go up against all those marines. We have to fall back."

"But Nami--" Sanji turned, his voice losing most of its anger but none of its determination.

"I can't lose anyone else, Sanji!" Nami shouted hoarsely. Everyone fell silent except for the sounds of uneven breathing and the occasional sniffle or muffled sob.

Luffy stared up at the sky. The clouds had thinned and were now breaking apart. Sunlight stole through the gaps, dappling the water and ship with fractured beams of light.

Brook suddenly appeared in his vision, his cravat hanging askew. His face showed no emotion, just the white skull with empty eyes staring through him. With reverent hands the skeleton reached into the thick recesses of his afro and pulled out a set of keys and a battered but beloved straw hat.

Brook knelt next to Luffy, handing over the hat before his skeletal hands deftly unlocked the cuffs on Luffy's ankles with one of the apprehended keys.

"Are you unhurt, Luffy?" he asked in a gentle voice as he pulled the cuffs away. Everyone's gaze suddenly fell to where the captain lay. Luffy's eyes closed against their looks of pity.

"What do you think, Luffy?" Sanji asked in a low voice. "You are the captain." His tone brooked no regret for using the other man in his last resort to get his way.

Luffy was quiet for a long time. So long that the others probably thought he had ignored the question. "Listen to what Nami says." He said finally, his voice low but clear. Nobody dared to naysay him. "Nami, you know the East Blue better than any of us. I'll leave everything to you."

Luffy stared up at the clearing blue skies.

It was funny. The sun was out but his face, it was still getting wet.

And Zoro….

Zoro….

Zoro was dead.

And Luffy hid his face in his hat and cried.

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not**** read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes: _Sorry for the wait, folks.

Final Betrayal – Chapter 7

consequence

Hina walked through the crowded streets of Loguetown, her dark eyes taking in everything with a slight air of distaste. Everywhere she looked marines were scrabbling around without pause or acknowledgement of the beautiful Captain. Hina frowned. These peons didn't even give her so much as a salute; they were too busy trying to clean up the mess those pirates had made.

The main plaza was in shambles. The cobbles were ripped up, crushed and scattered everywhere, making for treacherous footing. Most of the noble's houses and government buildings were broken and leaning upon one another, their gleaming white walls shattered and blackened by fire and gunpowder. A giant hole in the ground completely cut off one of the side streets from the rest of the square, frustrating repair crews trying to get in and repair the damage. The only thing that seemed to have remained untouched by the battle was the towering iron platform in the center; the reconstructed execution stand of the Pirate King.

Pirate Kings, now, if news was to be believed. Hina gave a delicate snort of distaste. If Monkey D. Luffy wasn't the true captain of the Straw Hats, her spies would have learned of it. Those old Stars let the pirates pull the wool over their eyes with their dramatic little soap opera. And, with the help of one of the Four Emperors and a certain nicotine-addicted sympathizer, this entire island of armed marines had let the most notorious pirates in the Grand Line slip though their fingers.

Hina's eyes narrowed and her slender legs took her to the foot of the execution platform in a few quick strides. Come to think of it, it was because of Straw Hat and his ilk that that the towering structure had to be rebuilt those years ago. Captain Hina stared disapprovingly up at the large figure that was sitting on top of the structure, his booted feet hanging carelessly over the edge.

"Either come down or bring Hina up, Smoker," she called up. "Hina not in the mood to climb."

Smoker regarded her as he puffed away at his cigars. He said nothing and made no move to descend from his perch. Just as a vein started to pulse on Hina's lovely forehead, a smoky tentacle slithered down and formed a dense cloud at her feet. Lips twitching, Hina stepped onto it and stood calmly as it started to rise.

Hina stood on the platform, behind Smoker, enjoying the god-like perspective of the plaza below and the marines that scrambled around it like rodents. It had been two weeks since the bungled execution. The weather was still unbearably hot but the heat had lost its deadliness-- lifting the ban on Loguetown's citizens, who were now free to roam about outside. They were kept away from the square, though, for their own safety.

As far as her sources knew, every day for fourteen days Commodore Smoker had come into this plaza and sat upon this platform. Just sat there and smoked and brooded as the marines scurried like rats below him.

"You know why I'm here," Hina stated finally, breaking the companionable silence between them.

"Yeah…"

"You were a fool to stand up to the Elder. He wanted your head for preventing him from disposing of Strawhat Luffy."

"I don't regret my actions." Smoker scowled, crushing his still-burning cigars in his fist. "If the marines have come to killing the unarmed in cold blood, then to hell with them. I'll follow my own path."

"Poor, stupid Smoker," Hina sighed dramatically as she lowered herself to sit beside him. "The government has been killing innocents for years, for reasons only clear to the men who hold the game pieces. Our jobs are just to move where we are told."

"I won't be some government pawn!" Smoker hissed. "I won't go against my own way of Justice!" He tossed his broken cigars to the wind. "They can have my head."

"You'll always be a stubborn fool," Hina rolled her eyes and looked pointedly away from the other. "But that's exactly why the Marines need officers like you." she added quietly. "There is no distinct line between right and wrong. It's the people who can see that who truly shape this world."

Smoker was silent for a long time after that. Finally he slipped two new cigars from his jacket and lit them. "Just say what you've come to say, Hina."

Hina sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder, her voice turning brisk. "You've been stripped of your rank but, thanks to Garp, AoKiji-- and Hina, of course-- we have convinced Fleet Admiral Sengoku that it would be foolish to discharge you. Especially after the loss of AkuInu, the disappearance of Shikibukai Mihawk and the insurgence of Red Hair Shanks and his crew, the government needs all the fighting power they can get. Besides," she stuck out her tongue childishly. "Hina told them you'd make a hideous pirate."

Smoker sent her an acerbic glare, which she smoothly ignored.

"You have been demoted back to captain and will take up your old post here in Loguetown. You will supervise the reconstruction of the fleet that was destroyed and personally see to it that all these weak idiots--" Hina gestured to the men below. "—Get the training they should have had to properly fight against this new generation of pirates."

Smoker stared at the plaza below, land Hina would swear that he almost looked… happy. "It won't be easy," he admitted finally. "This place has gone to the dogs since I left."

"Sengoku feels assured you will perform these new duties without fault."

Smoker stared at his ragged fingernails. "And my lieutenant?" he asked idly.

"No fault was found in Tashigi's actions. She will retain command of your ship until a replacement can be found. She has been offered permanent command of the vessel but stated that in no uncertain terms would she accept being separated from her commanding officer." Hina made a disparaging noise. "What a stupidly loyal girl you have there, Smoker. Hina jealous."

"Like you don't have a whole ship of idiots that would proclaim the same thing," Smoker snorted, looking away so the splash of red across his nose wasn't immediately noticeable. Hina smiled.

"Our reports have been saying that the Straw Hat's ship still sails the East Blue," Hina said idly, changing the subject. Smoker turned, his attention fixed on her words.

"Most of the time the ship disappears before our men can even get close enough to confirm it,"

"The Reverse Mountain whale?"

"We believe so. In the two incidences where we managed to route the Straw Hat's into a corner, something large came out of the water and struck down our ships, like the hand of God the idiots said."

Smoker stared off into the distance, chewing thoughtfully on his cigars. The ocean gleamed promisingly. Hina watched the fire slowly rekindle in the man's eyes.

"You won't be able to go after him for awhile. Strawhat, I mean."

Smoker tore his eyes away from the distant sea. "That's fine. He needs time to return to the man I vowed to capture. By the next time we meet, I'll see to it that he is brought to justice." His fists clenched. "My brand of justice, no one else's."

Hina smiled at his proclamation and then yawned. "Hina tired. Do those dusty old barracks still have mineral baths?"

"Probably."

"Then Hina goes." She rose gracefully to her feet. Smoker made to form another cloud lift, but she waved him away. "Don't bother. Hina jump." Without hesitation the slender captain leapt from the edge and landed lightly on the cobblestones below.

"See you around, Captain Smoker." She gave him a small wave.

"Hina," Smoker called after her retreating figure. Hina stopped and turned.

"Thanks," he muttered. Hina couldn't hear from her distance away, but she knew what he said all the same. Her lips bowed upward in that delicate smile that had her underlings throwing themselves at her feet.

"Smoker's welcome."

decision

Ben walked into the cabin and threw himself into the battered wooden chair. He grabbed a cigarette off his desk and lit it, before leaning back and carding his hand through his hair. He looked older suddenly, older than the age added by his worry lines and premature grey. Or maybe it wasn't old age that suddenly seemed to blanket him; maybe it wasn't age so much as defeat. Shanks contemplated all this as he studied his man through the growing veil of smoke.

"Well?" he finally prompted with raised brows and a mug to his lips. He lounged indolently on the overstuffed armchair on the other side of Ben's desk, its cushions well indented to his angular body. It was technically Ben's study, but the chair was placed there for his captain's comfort. It was where he always sat when he and his vice-captain needed to have a heart to heart. And it was plain to see now that his friend needed to get something off his chest.

"He's not getting any better." Ben said the words like a death sentence-- in one long, drawn out sigh. "Roux and I had sewn up what we could. And for a man stabbed clean through the chest-- twofold at that-- he looks remarkably well. We've still got the tube in his lung. And we've been filling him with as much fluid as we can get in him, but…."

"But?"

Ben frowned at the ceiling. "He still hasn't waked. It seems it's all he can do to keep breathing, and it's the most horrible wheezing noise as he does. His pulse is thready at best. He's cold, clammy. To speak plainly, every time I go down there, I expect to find the lad dead."

Shanks had finished with his drink and now twiddled idly with his mug, ignoring how he couldn't quite feel the wood grain against his fingertips. "He should have died in Loguetown," he said finally. "It's a nothing but a miracle he's survived this long."

"Well, I wouldn't count that miracle to hold," Ben foretold grimly. He leaned forward and stubbed out his cigarette in an overflowing ashtray. "How's your hand?" he asked, forcibly changing the subject.

"Fine, fine!" the redhead rolled his eyes, flashing his palm up for his first mate's inspection. "As you can see, there's barely any blackening on the fingertips. Just looks like I've been in your ink, I suppose."

"And the rest of you?"

"As fit as can be for losing a little toe. I do hope that won't destroy my handsome image. What will the ladies say if they knew that Handsome Captain Shanks only had nine toes?" Shanks lamented, rubbing his only hand suggestively down the deep _V_ of his shirt.

"They'll think you're a right ugly bastard, just like always." Ben teased, his brow smoothing for a moment.

"Ha! You're just jealous 'cause Aokiji could have frostbitten my whole body and I'd still be more popular with the women than you."

"And why would I need to be popular with these imaginary woman?" Ben raised an eyebrow. "Name me one thing I could get from them that I don't already have."

Shanks grinned. "Well I could name _one_ thing…."

Ben shrugged. "Apples and oranges, my friend." That caused Shanks to laugh, and for a brief moment the somber pall left the room.

Uncharacteristically, (for he hated a dwelling on morose thoughts more than anything, save maybe running out of drink) it was Shanks that brought the mood back.

"What do you suggest we do then, Ben? About the lad, I mean."

"What left is there to do? Roux and I, we're not doctors. Hell, there isn't a doctor within five hundred miles of this part of the Line. Leastways no doctor that could treat this grievous of a wound."

"Ah, that's the thing of it, then, is it?" Shanks slammed his mug down suddenly, his voice taking on a chipper tone. "Well, it doesn't take a genius to ken what we have to do."

Ben frowned, as he often did when his captain took joviality in serious matters. "I don't follow."

Shanks's grin flashed like a comet. "We just need to get that boy to a proper doctor!" he announced before he leaned back, preening over his own brilliance.

Ben's eye twitched. "You just heard me say there were no doctors--"

"Aye, aye, no doctors _here_," Shanks waved him away impatiently. "We just have to go to where the doctors _are_."

"And ho—wait." Ben half-rose from his seat. "You're suggesting we use _that_?"

Shanks leveled him with a crafty stare. "What other object do we possess that allows us to go positively anywhere?" he asked, reaching into the folds of his tunic and pulling out a round object that glittered in the lamplight. Ben stared at it, his brows drawn together gravely.

"The Blank Pose can be used only once, Shanks. After you set its coordinates, it becomes an Eternal Pose that will from then on lead you to that specific island and nowhere else. Are you sure you want to waste it?"

"Would it really be wasting it, Ben?" Shanks asked softly as he rolled the orb around in his palm. "Especially if it allows the lad to live?"

Studying him, a small smile appeared on Ben's face. For all of his protesting and his coldness towards their unconscious occupant, he was willing to give up one of his most precious treasures to save him. That was his captain, all right. "No," he answered finally. "It wouldn't be a waste at all."

"Right." Shanks hopped to his feet, suddenly his boyish self once again. "After all," he cried. "We can get to those far off places on our own merits! Such a thing has never stopped us before, and isn't likely to start now. And if it takes a little longer, well, all the more ports for a good spot of drink and some lively company, eh?"

Ben grinned back at him. "Aye, Captain."

"So, your job," Shanks whirled on him suddenly, brandishing the Blank Pose under the taller man's nose. "Is to use that big brain of yours to figure out what island it is I'm thinking of, because damned if I remember what it was called."

Ben laughed, and snatched the orb from his captain's hand, before returning to his desk a pulling out a mammoth-size logbook. Flipping through its heavy pages, Ben began mumbling, only half to himself. "It was going through a revolution, so it had no name at the time. But before that it carried the name of its mountains…."

"The funny-shaped ones!" Shanks piped in as he stared over Ben's shoulder.

The pages turned more slowly now as Ben homed in on the needed information. "It was the home of the Isshin Twenty…"

"The greatest doctors on the Grand Line!" Shanks leaned in farther. Ben stopped suddenly and slammed his finger onto the center of the page.

"Drum Island."

Shanks squeezed his first's shoulder meaningfully before moving away. "Rouse the boys!" he called out in his captain's voice. "I want full-on sail and every able man on deck. Set our course to Drum Island!"

Ben grinned. "Aye-aye, Sir!"

laboon

For these first few weeks the Straw Hats had seen no one outside their own little world. They were constantly harried and chased by the Marines but, afraid of a repeat of last time, they chose to flee rather than fight. The Thousand Sunny was a good deal larger than Merry, but it could still fit comfortably inside Laboon's stomach. If the enemy was seen approaching, someone would shoot up a flare, signaling the great whale to swallow them up.

Deep in the Laboon's belly they would float as the whale beat a hasty retreat for calmer waters, effectively vanishing out from under their enemies' noses. But, they couldn't stay long in Laboon; the stomach acids were slowly damaging the hull of the sloop. And sometimes the enemy was persistent, and sought them out again and again. But a warning 'nudge' from the whale was usually enough to keep the enemy at bay. On the rare occasion their foes persisted, Laboon made quick work on them, leaving naught but a bunch of marines clinging to the splintered remains of their ships.

But Laboon was slowly wearing down. Without Crocus, the whale was left to fend for himself. The old man had stayed behind on the Red Line, vowing to wait for Laboon's return. And, as much as he enjoyed adventuring with Brook, it was clear that Laboon was missing his caretaker. By constantly patrolling the waters around the Straw Hats, he was unable to forage for the proper amount of food to keep him going. The East Blue offered slim pickings for a whale of his size, anyway. It was obvious the whale couldn't stay with them form much longer.

Seeing his friend's state deteriorating so rapidly, Brook all but ordered the whale to take a break to rest and hunt. Three days had passed since Laboon's reluctant departure. In that time no marines had been spotted. The Straw Hat pirates sailed on aimlessly, hoping their luck would hold. With no firm direction and no set goal, each lay adrift in their own thoughts: all centering around the one that was taken from them.

light

The ocean of the East Blue was a sparkling sapphire that seemed to mock the sorrow of those who sailed on it. Since Zoro's death the denizens of Sunny Go were living as pale shadows of their former selves. Robin found herself staring into the water as if it held some secret-- some sort of key that would unlock the hearts of her companions and let them shine once more. These bright people she loved so did not deserve to sit in darkness.

She was sad too, of course. Zoro and she weren't close, by any means. Even after Enes Lobby-- when she finally gained his trust, they still weren't so much friends as old acquaintances. But Robin liked to think they had understood each other, the swordsman and she. Unlike the others, who shined so bright, Zoro had shadows shrouding his light. A creature of shadows herself, Robin felt a kinship with the taciturn man, and now that he was gone she felt a void where something important should be.

After living so long alone, of never really being able to trust anyone, the archeologist found herself floundering in this feeling of loss. Not since Jaguar D. Saul had she felt true grief that had nothing to do with herself. It was like a swift pain born on dark wings and aching with the hollow sound of laughter.

_Dereshishishishi…._

To keep from sinking into her own darkness, Robin found herself dwelling on the darkness of others. Each member of this mismatched family had found different ways to deal with —or escape— their grief. Robin studied each of them in turn, watching them grow older as this new bit of history unfolded.

Some of them worked through their anguish. Franky spent most of his time down in the bowels of the ship, holed up in his workshop. At all hours clanking and crashes were heard as the cyborg worked on his newest assault weapon. But, for all of his sweat and labor, nothing the cyborg did seemed to satisfy him. Eventually he'd find some flaw in his design and, angrily, he'd rip the thing apart with his bare hands before single-mindedly sitting back to rebuild it from scratch.

When out of his workroom, Franky constantly prowled the ship, seeking out damages in the brig sloop and repairing each one, no matter how trivial. In the daylight he was a loud and outrageous as usual, if a bit grouchy about everyone's little additions to the general wear and tear of his ship. But at some point in the nights when Robin was staying up late, he'd find his way up to the library. There he'd sit on the floor beside her legs and force her to tell stories about their lost comrade. He'd listen to Robin's smooth voice as she recounted her tales, staring moodily out the windows and into the darkness as she ran gentle hands through his stiff, ocean-colored hair.

The cook was one who also tried to sweat through his emotions. He woke up before dawn to start preparing his extravagant meals and didn't leave the kitchen till well after sundown, when all the dishes were done and put away and the kitchen itself gleamed spotlessly. Each meal was more elaborate and bountiful than the last. And Sanji, well known for his insistence that no food be wasted, didn't even seem to notice how little of his efforts were actually being eaten. He just kept cooking-- not even eating, himself. He toiled away mindlessly, living on coffee and tobacco and routine, as if he thought to banish his emotions towards the swordsman through sheer effort alone. It was clear from his increasing desperation that it wasn't working.

Nami walked around yelling and busting heads like normal. She was manipulative and greedy as always. Most of the time she was to be found browbeating somebody or another, trying to whip them back into shape. Indeed --out of all of them-- Nami seemed the least affected. But long association with the redhead allowed Robin to know that was far from the truth.

Robin watched the navigator as she shooed the mail gull away each morning, not allowing a single newspaper to board the ship. She watched as Nami slumped against the wall when she thought no one was looking, her shoulders slumped in defeat and her head in her hands. And, no matter how stealthy the Cat Thief was, she couldn't completely smother her sobs at night. Come morning, the tearstains on her pillow gave ample evidence that her act in front of the others was naught but a charade. When around anyone else, Nami stuffed her pain so far down she couldn't feel it anymore. By being her usual self, she inserted a feeling of normality in the crew's upturned lives. By pretending the hurt didn't exist, everyone else could take a step back for a moment and pretend too. But Robin had to wonder how long the other could keep up the act.

Brook spent most of his time towards the aft of the ship, downwind from outside ears as he fingered his bow and wrung out small snatches of a haunting melody from his violin. The rest of the time he spent in the aquarium room, bent over a sheaf of ink-stained paper; scribbling away and mumbling to himself. Whatever it was he was working on, he shoved into his jacket if anyone came too close, keeping his secret literally close to his chest.

Usopp was practically a missing entity on the ship. The sharpshooter had been the main focus of the tension at first. Luffy hadn't spoken a word to him (although, to be fair, Luffy had hardly spoken to anyone.) Sanji didn't want him anywhere near him, and even Chopper couldn't help blaming Usopp for his part in Zoro's demise. After a particularly explosive fight with Sanji one morning, the sniper stormed off and barricaded himself inside the girls' room.

Robin stepped inside one evening to collect the book she'd been reading. She found Usopp sleeping fitfully on the bed, surrounded by a mound of paper that was steadily spilling over onto the floor. And upon every sheet was Zoro: sleeping, training, glaring, smiling…. Most of the drawings were mere rough depictions, containing multiple sketches of specific details of the swordsman. The rest were finished pieces of art, drawn by a master hand that captured every nuance of their missing comrade. Feeling her heart ache at the sight, Robin grabbed up her book and left, taking care not to return. She spent the rest of her nights elsewhere, giving her grieving friend (and the navigator that bullied him) some privacy.

Chopper's emotions were the easiest to read; his heartache like a palpable thing. He spent most of his time in the infirmary, swiveling idly in his chair as he stared sadly around at nothing in particular. Often, when overcome, he'd run to either Nami or Robin, clinging to them desperately as his small body was wracked with sobs. Then, like an exhausted child, he'd fall asleep amidst their comforting embrace; his slumber punctuated by sniffles and soft whimpers and whispers of the swordsman's name.

In contrast, Kidd had a hard time absorbing the morose aura surrounding the ship. He hadn't been part of the crew but for a few weeks and the bonds he formed with the rest of the crew were still tiny threads that could still be snapped without too much pain. The boy had grown very attached to Luffy, however, and seeing his captain hurting had quite a sobering affect on the boy. He spent most of his time off to the side somewhere, tinkering with his inventions and generally keeping a low profile.

And Luffy…Luffy's grief was by far the most painful to watch. There was a void within him, and he was fighting his hardest to keep it covered up. For the first few days he'd tried to smile, and here and there he'd given out a weak laugh towards Nami or Franky's antics. But rather than cover up his pain, his weak acts merely served to highlight how much he was hurting. And when Luffy realized he was fooling no one, he further deflated, finally retreating to someplace inside himself. Every day he'd be out sitting somewhere alone, staring out at the blue ocean surrounding them.

As with all who live through such a personal loss, the experience had marked him forever. Of them all, only he and the cook had escaped the scars of death and now –with one fell swoop— that innocence was lost to them both. But it was Luffy who had lost the one that was most precious to him.

Oh, Luffy cared deeply for all of them; each member had a niche in the captain's heart that no other could replace. But it was Zoro Luffy had chosen to really share his dream with. Together it was they who fought on the front lines, defeating all obstacles until their names reached the very heavens. The strength upon which they had relied on one another, standing back to back against both gods and fate; no other could have stood with Luffy on such a path. No other could've had so much faith. No other could have loved as harshly as was needed. Only Roronoa Zoro.

And Luffy had yet to really come to terms with the fact that his swordsman was gone, not to mention the betrayal of Zoro publicly renouncing him as Pirate King. For now Luffy merely existed, sitting around as if in some trance. He never cried, not since they first got back to the ship. But the emotions were there, boiling underneath the surface. Robin watched him surreptitiously, fearing the day when they would explode to the surface.

As it turned out, she didn't have long to wait.

kidd

It started with the kid.

By some odd chance the entire crew (sans Usopp) had converged in Sanji's kitchen at around midday. They sat around the dining room table amid heaps of gourmet sandwiches and glasses of iced tea. Conversation was slow and stilted but present among the group and broached nothing but banal things: the heat, the food, small day-to-day tasks and the like. When those topics dwindled and the sandwiches were all eaten, a sort of desperation filled the air. It was the feeling that, if they rose from the table now and left to do their own things, nothing on this earth could bring them back together again. It was a ludicrous idea for nine people who lived on the same ship, but the feeling was there nonetheless.

When Luffy, who'd been mostly silent as he shoved a few platefuls of food into his mouth, looked ready to push himself to his feet, Nami was swift to act. She grabbed at the first topic that her eyes presented her: The small face screwed up in concentration to Luffy's right. The kid was fiddling with something in between bites of food, his screwdriver twisting this way and that. So intent was he on whatever it was he was working on that he had basically ignored everyone else's existence. The navigator quickly remedied that.

"You never told us why you never spoke up before. If you could talk all this time, why didn't you?"

The boy looked up with wide eyes, only belatedly realizing the redhead was talking to him. Franky leaned back in his chair and regarded the youngster.

"Ease up, Sister. No need to go all inquisition on the shrimp." Franky turned back to the boy, his sunglasses tipped low on his nose. "So what's your real name, anyway? We can't just keep calling you 'the kid' all the time."

By now Luffy had retaken his seat, and was looking at the boy along with the rest of them. The kid scratched at a freckle, feeling embarrassed at all the attention. After a minute he cleared his throat and took a swig of his heavily sugared tea.

"You can keep calling me Kidd, I guess. I… I like it better than my real name." the boy stared self-consciously at the brown whirls of wood grain flowing along the table. "Besides, I'm a pirate now, that boy doesn't exist anymore."

"Kidd it is, then." Luffy said from beside him, his voice low but with a small smile quirking across his lips. Kidd stared up at him and blushed happily to the very tips of his ears. These were the first words the captain had spoken to him since his proclamation atop the platform in Loguetown.

The tension in the air seemed to lighten as the rest of the crew exchanged amused glances. The atmosphere had changed to resemble what it used to be, before. The general mood of the crew was so lighthearted compared to the last few weeks that Sanji —who hadn't been seen off his feet since-- actually moved from his spot next to the serving bar and plopped down in the seat next to Kidd.

"Don't worry," Sanji grinned, ruffling the boy's curly brown hair. "You'll always be 'Brat' to me."

Kidd swatted him away and rolled his eyes. Nami smiled as she leaned forward on her elbows, but she refused to drop her original question.

"Why did you never say anything before?"

Looking around at all of them, Kidd hesitantly told his story, his voice rough and scratched compared to normal boys his age.

"I was five when a band of thugs pulled me and my mom into an alley to mug us. It was just me and mom back then. Dad had died in an accident when I was a baby, but he left us pretty well off and I guess those crooks could tell it by looking at us. I knew they weren't pirates, cause mom always told me that pirates lived by a code, and most wouldn't stoop to harming women and children. Anyway, when my mom refused their demands, they threatened to slit my throat. Mom stopped fighting after that but it was easy to see those bastards had more than money on their minds. I fought against the guy who held me when the others started grabbing at mom. Next thing I know I was down on the ground and my throat felt like it was on fire. Mom saw me and went crazy or something, because she started attacking the whole lot of them. She sure did surprise them, but she was just one lady and wasn't armed like they were. But she made enough commotion that the thugs got nervous and took off."

Kidd paused to take a drink with hands that trembled slightly. Everyone was listening to his story intently, except for Luffy, who seemed more interested in fixing the strap on his sandal than what the boy was saying. The lighthearted air had vanished as the tale unfolded, everyone knowing that the ending promised to be a less than happy one.

"Well mom picked me up and started running for the doctor's, even though she was a small woman and I was pretty chubby back then. I could feel something warm and wet against my side as she carried me. But she never slowed until she got to the door of the town's doctor. It was night and she had to pound on the door to wake the old man up. The door finally opened and Mom pushed me into the man's arms before slumping to ground. She couldn't get back up and when they rolled her over her dress was all bloody from a wound on her side where one of those thugs had stabbed her.

She stayed conscious though, and smiled and talked to me while the doctor worked on me; she wouldn't let him even touch her until he had seen to me." Kidd's small fists clenched on the tabletop. "My wound wasn't that bad. The guy didn't hit anything important when he cut me—just scratched my voice box. The doctor gave me something for the pain and I fell asleep. When I woke up, mom…was gone. She died during the night."

Kidd stared unseeing, his eyes swimming in their repressed tears. But he soon shook himself and finished his tale.

"I couldn't speak back when this," his hand went to the scar on his neck. "Was healing. Being on my own, I didn't have no one to talk to anyway, so I guess I just got used to not saying anything." He shrugged. "Besides, I wasn't sure I trusted you guys at first. And then after I did, you guys didn't seem to care that I didn't say anything. You liked me anyways, so I kept quite."

"I think I'm going to miss that." Sanji muttered around lighting his cigarette. He unobtrusively slid the boy a fresh iced tea. Kidd shot him a mock-glare as he shoveled sugar into the glass.

"Keep talking girly-man, and you'll wake up with pink hair tomorrow." The boy threatened.

"Little dogs shouldn't bark so loudly." Sanji growled back. He swapped the tea away from him and downed it in one gulp, before hacking and sputtering at all the sugar in it. The pall lifted once more, and everyone relaxed.

"Since you're talking now: what have you been fiddling with all this time?" Franky asked, pointing to the objects on the boy's lap.

Kidd turned picked the things up and turned them around in his hands. They looked like two gold bracelets, both about an inch think and unadorned in any way. Kidd tapped one with his screwdriver and a small compartment opened, showing a complex system of miniature gears and circuitry. Even Luffy found himself leaning in to get a closer look at the tiny moving parts.

"It's a special device I made," Kidd explained proudly. "It tracks people. You push the button on this one and it will always find its mate, no matter how far away it is."

"How?" Chopper gasped, stars beginning to twinkle in his eyes. Kidd handed the reindeer one of the bands and slid the other onto his arm, where it hung loosely off his bony wrist.

"You hold your arm out and point. When you point to the direction the other bracelet is in, it'll beep. The beeps get faster the closer you are." He pointed his hand at Chopper and the device let out a series of shrill chirps.

"Wow…" Chopper was smitten.

"That's one super device!" Franky announced loudly.

"Thanks," Kidd muttered bashfully as he took the bracelet back from Chopper. Sanji suddenly grinned, looking a lecherous and a little alarming, causing Kidd to scoot away from him with raised eyebrows.

"Miss Nami, we could each wear one and then I'd always know where you are, my sweet!"

"Heheh, it's funny, but this is one piece of gold I have no interest in owning," Nami replied sweetly.

Sanji swiveled quickly towards Robin but was swiftly punched in the head by both Franky and Kidd.

"Knock it off, you perv!" Kidd demanded as he held the bracelets protectively close. "I was going to give this one to--" he cut off abruptly.

"Who were you going to give it to, child?" Robin asked gently. Kidd shot a look towards Luffy before opening his mouth reluctantly.

"I-I was going to give this one to Zoro. Since…since he's always getting lost."

A dead silence filled the room.

Sanji shot to his feet and began clearing the table, his movements quick and jerky and his cigarette held fast in his tightly clenched mouth. Nami decided it was suddenly time to go take Usopp his food, and disappeared swiftly out the front door. Chopper's lower lip began to quiver and he quickly excused himself and retreated into his sickbay.

Kidd sat there staring miserably at his lap. But everyone else's eyes were on the captain. Luffy ignored them as he rose to his feet.

"It my turn at watch," he announced in a bland voice. "Thanks for the food." And, without another word, he left.

Franky and Brook exchanged uneasy glances. Robin merely folded her arms and closed her eyes, a look of concentration crossing her face.

why

Luffy scaled the rigging skillfully, swiftly making it up to the ladder entrance into the crow's nest. He stood in the middle of the room uncertainly, his eyes unable to focus and a dull buzzing filling his ears. His hands clenched and unclenched reflexively as he fought for control.

Luffy closed his eyes and was immediately assaulted by the smell of sweat and steel. This room might be the observation tower, but it also doubled as a gym. Zoro was the only one who had really used it, lifting weights to keep himself from falling asleep during watch (though, judging by the random dents across the floor, it didn't always work). Luffy ground his teeth together. Thinking about Zoro, hearing his name spoken-- it all made him so irrationally angry. He could feel it building up inside him, threatening to boil over. It was getting harder to control himself. He'd stayed distant from the others, not wanting them to see it…Afraid for them to see it.

_Monkey D. Luffy isn't the Pirate King… I am._

With a savage growl Luffy's fist swung out, colliding with the largest rack of weights and sending the whole thing smashing through one of the windows. The echoing crash sounded like cannonballs slamming into the ship as it hit the deck far down below.

It didn't feel like enough, though. Luffy kicked out, sending a gigantic dumbbell shooting through the wall. Another punch took out the locker. A single swipe destroyed the telescope. Luffy quickly and systematically broke everything in sight. Still, it wasn't enough. It didn't quench his anger. It didn't fill up that hole inside of him.

Luffy stopped as a gentle hand appeared on his shoulder. Turning his head slightly, he saw the limb disappear into a shower of petals. Chest heaving, Luffy fought for control. Shoving his hat low over his face, he squatted on his heels with his arms wrapped around his knees, and waited for Robin to climb up to him. He could hear Franky's angry shouts outside.

"DAMN IT, STRAW HAT! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? DOES IT LOOK LIKE I KEEP A BIG SHEETS OF GLASS LYING AROUND? HOW AM I SUPOSSED TO FIX--"

Something or someone cut the cyborg off, and Luffy heard a door slam in retaliation. A few moments later Robin had poked her head into the room.

"Do you need to talk, Captain?"

"No," Luffy stated flatly as he continued to stare at the floor.

"Alright," Robin acknowledged his answer but ignored the unspoken request to be left alone. She climbed the rest of the way into the room and stood there for a moment, surveying the damage without comment. Then, brushing clean a small section of the room's wrap-around bench, she took a seat.

"You may not want to talk, but perhaps you will listen?" She asked as she crossed her legs. The way she said it left little room for refusal. Luffy shrugged brusquely, keeping his back to her.

"Anger, betrayal, confusion, sadness…there are certainly a lot of emotions for one to sort through. It is no wonder you don't want to think about him."

Luffy remained silent, but his head tilted slightly to show he was listening.

"It's cruel for someone to take our own fate out of our hands and then leave before we can ask them why." Robin mused aloud, her head filled with images both present and past. "That's the biggest question in your mind right now, isn't it: Why? Why did Zoro say those things? Why did he betray your trust? Why did he save your life? Why did he give up his own?"

"Are you here to tell me?" Luffy asked with a rare bite to his voice.

"No." Robin's voice was calm in the face of Luffy's anger. "I'm afraid I cannot answer those questions for you. You are the one most likely to find the reasons in his actions. Of us all, you knew the swordsman best."

"I_thought_ I knew him best." Luffy muttered bitterly. "But, I guess I was wrong."

"Now that's rather unfair." Robin chided, her eyes narrow. "Maybe you don't have the answers because you refuse to look for them. After all, isn't it easier to go on blaming Zoro than to reconcile with his motives?"

Luffy twisted around to glare at her. "Just what do you know about it? About us?"

Robin sat back for a minute, silent. But she was merely putting her thoughts in order, not backing down. She needed to say this right for Luffy to understand. Not that Luffy was stupid, but his way of thinking was so straightforward; and that was part of the problem. Emotions like this were rarely clear-cut, thus the cause of their captain's turmoil. When Robin spoke, her words came out slow and weighted.

"From what I have seen, neither you nor Zoro ever acknowledged the more… complicated aspects of your relationship."

"What do you mean?"

"You allowed yourselves to be labeled and barely thought of what was beyond your titles. You both were so firmly entrenched in your roles that you prohibited any growth that didn't go along with the definition of your relationship." One look at Luffy's face told Robin she'd lost him. Sighing, she suddenly changed tracks. "If I were to ask you what Zoro was to you, what would you answer?"

"He was my swordsman;" Luffy stated, probably thinking her thick for asking such an obvious question. "My very first mate."

"Is that all?" Robin leveled him with an inscrutable look. Luffy glared back.

"Of course not! Zoro was my friend." His head lowered and he shifted slightly. "And…." He trailed off. Robin didn't press him, but continued.

"But your first answer was the best answer, correct? Swordsman. First mate." Luffy nodded dumbly so Robin pressed on. "And you were his captain. It was to these roles that you clung to, that you held above all else."

"Of course."

"Yes, and it was probably this that got us through the Grand Line and to Raftel. Those names gave you the both strength to go up against anything, and to hold us together when the rest of us fell apart. But it also is exactly why you fail in understanding Zoro's motives." Robin looked outside the shattered glass to the cerulean ocean beyond. "Most probably, Mr. Swordsman didn't understand them himself." She said musingly before looking to Luffy once more. "But, suffice it to say, his reasons ran deeper that his simple role as your second. To understand that you must look beneath the you that is 'Captain'."

Luffy stared at Robin. She was one of the smartest people he knew, so what she was saying had to merit some consideration. But he didn't really understand all of it. He was Captain of the Straw Hats. The Pirate King-- although that fact was probably by now widely debated. What was under that? What could possibly be left? He was a pirate; that's who he was, right to the very core. And he was the captain of pirates.

Though, wasn't it Zoro that had made him captain? Back then, before they'd met, he had never set out to be captain of a crew. All he ever wanted was to be Pirate King, and to gather up a bunch of companions to help him do that. It was Zoro who named him as captain, who had put himself beneath the other. Before that he was just Luffy, a boy with an impossible dream.

Now that Zoro was gone, where was that boy? What was he feeling right now? Luffy looked deep inside of himself, digging around until he'd drudged up all that laid buried beneath.

God, he felt empty. So damn empty.

Luffy grit his teeth through the feeling and endeavored to sort through the facts.

He'd lost his claim as the Pirate King.

And he had lost Zoro.

The thought of Zoro's absence struck him far more deeply than the loss of the other. What was the Pirate King? A title, nothing more. A claim to fame that made others look up at him in envy, wonder and fear. Zoro… Zoro was flesh and blood, a strong arm and a warm back. He was quiet laughter and outraged shouting, food and wine and the sweet soothing darkness of sleep. Zoro was everything. And Luffy had lost that.

A man can still live after losing a limb. A man who lost his sight can still hear and smell. But, Luffy, who felt Zoro's loss far more deeply than he really understood— Luffy had lost his limbs, his sight, his hearing, his smell and his taste. Never again would these sensations encompass the presence of his first mate. Zoro couldn't be touched; he would no longer be seen or heard. The smell of steel would vanish from the air. The taste of sweat would be soon overshadowed. Zoro had disappeared from this earth and took a part of his captain with him. Luffy would never be whole again.

Luffy felt something pour into the emptiness inside him, filling him to the brim. It was both aching and gut-wrenching. It was filled with such warmth and sadness and pain that there wasn't even a word for it. It was as if he'd ripped of the bandage of some deep wound and exposed it to the stinging salty air. Was this what Robin had been talking about? Gods, Luffy could've gone his whole life without feeling this level of pain…this all-encompassing grief.

"Robin?" Luffy's head rolled around to the dark-haired woman, who had moved to leave. Robin stilled, her blue eyes peering deep into his own. She seemed both saddened and relieved by what she saw.

"Yes?"

"Why?" Luffy's voice came out strained and desperate. "Why didn't he let them kill me?" he clutched fitfully at his chest; it felt as if he were having a heart attack. "That—that would have been way less painful than this…."

Robin's face was filled with empathy. She reached out and took Luffy's hand. "Perhaps, Captain, that was exactly what Zoro was thinking, as well."

Without a word, the young man threw himself forward, wrapping his arms about her in a tight and desperate embrace. Robin stared down at him in shock, but recovered quickly and returned it. _We're just a ship full of people broken by love_, she thought to herself as Luffy's shoulders shook in her grasp. Feeling her shirtfront grow slowly damp, Robin finally gave in and let free the tears she'd been repressing. Tangling her hands in the other's red shirt, she cried. She cried for Luffy and the others. She cried for herself and her past. And she wept for her future; the future that now seemed a little bit dimmer for the absence of a certain cantankerous swordsman.

weak

"Enemy ship off the port side!" Usopp's voice screamed out, bringing everyone to attention. Luffy pulled away from his and Robin's mutually comforting embrace and walked over to the portside's empty window. The heat was still heavy on the air, not letting the least little breeze through Luffy's anger-driven ventilation. His red-rimmed eyes looked outside. A large patch of white broke up the even blueness of the sea off to the left. On it he could see clearly the dark seagull decal.

"There's three of them," Nami confirmed from below. "They're close. I don't think we can outrun them. Franky!"

"Yeah?"

"Can we use a _Coup de Burst_?"

"Sorry sister, but we weren't able to grab any cola running away from Loguetown like we did."

Somebody—Kidd from the sound of it—uttered a particularly violent explicative. The voices became indistinct mumbles as the others tried to come up with a feasible plan of escape.

"God-damn it, Luffy!" Sanji's voice cut through the air. "I thought you were supposed to be on watch! Are you trying to get us killed?"

Luffy lowered his head, his hands gripping the busted window frame tightly.

"Ahh!" Chopper screamed as his hooves clattered around the deck in panic. "The marines are coming and Laboon is gone! Whah! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

Luffy's head snapped up.

"_I don't wanna die, Zoro."_

Hadn't he said that back in the seastone cells of Loguetown? Luffy felt realization hit him like a fist to the gut. That was it. That was Zoro's reason.

It was all because Luffy had been weak, wasn't it? He had blurted _that_ out in a moment of weakness and, even though he took it back, it wasn't enough. Zoro had already heard it.

Everyone depended on him to be strong; Zoro had said as much many times before. Zoro: who would have followed him blindly into hell itself. But, after saying that….

Luffy couldn't breath. Gods…what had he done?

"Luffy?" His name came blearily to his ears. Only then did Luffy realize he had fallen to his knees. Still gripping the window frame, Luffy rested his head wearily against the splintered wood.

"All my fault…" he muttered brokenheartedly. "It's all my fault…."

"Luffy?" Robin asked again, her voice thick with worry.

"They're coming up on us," Nami yelled. "We can't turn the ship around in time. Load the cannons; prepare to fight them off."

"Just stay where you are," Luffy suddenly hollered out. He slowly pulled himself to his feet. "I'll take care of them myself."

He wouldn't be weak again. He wouldn't selfishly cry out to be saved. Never again. What Robin had revealed in him was that the person under the title of captain couldn't take the loss of another that was dear to him. So he would protect those that remained with everything that he had. Zoro would be the last loss he'd mourn, even if he had to die to see to it.

Ignoring Robin's protests, Luffy pulled back and launched himself from the window, aiming straight for the three marine ships. These guys were going to know what it meant to go up against the Pirate King.

cracks

Usopp leaned against the doorway leading to the girls' room, silently watching the ongoing destruction in the distance. It seemed those wild and carefree days of before were well and truly gone. Once, they would've been able to hear Luffy's laughter from here as the rubber-boy bounced around, playing with the marines just as much as fighting them. But no longer. Now the enemy was dispatched with such speed and efficiency that it bordered on merciless. Usopp watched as three fully manned battleships were turned into naught but rubble and flame.

"Usopp, can you--" Nami caught sight of his face and halted whatever it was she'd been about to say. "You're crying!"

Usopp let the fat tears fall as he watched Luffy finish with the last ship: the one that had turned around and tried to escape. "Nami?" he said finally, her name cracking in his throat. "Did I do the right thing?"

"Usopp, I--" Unable to answer, the redhead looked away.

"Yeah," he laughed, but it came out more like a sob. "Me neither."

Nami grabbed him by the arms and shook him. "Listen, Usopp. You did what you thought was right. You saw Zoro back then, you know that he wouldn't have stopped even if we'd all gone against him. It was his decision." She shook him again, pressing her point. "You had nothing to do with it."

Usopp sniffed and nodded. "Nami?"

The navigator's hands were warm on his bare arms. "Yes?"

"I…I want to go home." He mumbled, unable to meet her eyes.

"Wh-what?" Nami's grip loosened and her hands fell numbly to her sides. She stared at the other as if she didn't recognize him. Usopp scratched his nose and pressed on.

"I--I want to see Kaya and Onion and Carrot and Pepper. I want to make sure they're all okay. I want to see what's changed; what hasn't." When Usopp finally managed to look at her, his eyes were pleading. "I… I just want to see home for a while. Is that okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Nami turned away, her arms crossing protectively over her chest. "Of course it's fine! We need somewhere to hide out and restock on supplies, anyway. Syrup village would be perfect. Yes, it's perfectly fine." She rambled on, her voice abnormally cheerful. "I'll just go let everyone know. We'll change course as soon as Luffy gets back to the ship."

Nami tried not to jerk as two calloused hands embraced her briefly from behind. Her eyes closed as she felt the feather-soft touch of lips to the back of her head. "Thanks, Nami." Usopp whispered before pulling away. Unable to speak, Nami nodded and watched him retreat back into bedroom. He didn't even look back at her as he pulled the door closed behind him. Nami stared at that wooden door separating them, the tears that had been building up in her eyes finally spilling over her cheeks.

"It's fine…." Nami whispered to herself.

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

_Title: _Final Betrayal

_Author:_ AstroKender

_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.

_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.

_**Spoilers:**_Current manga chapters, crew and Luffy's relations. **Do not** **read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.

_Notes:_ Wow, this chapter's word count nearly hit the 10K mark!Enjoy!

Final Betrayal – Chapter 8

pirates

Kaya awoke and sat up suddenly, disquieted by the stillness in the air. Morning light filtered through the partly drawn shades, though it was the cheerless light of an overcast dawn. The air was hot and humid even this early and smelled strongly of rain. There would be a storm by nightfall. Even the birds were silent. Everything felt blanketed in some vague sense of foreboding.

Kaya forced herself to relax, only just noticing that she was holding her breath. How silly of her! This was a day like any other; there was no reason for the feeling of dread clenching her stomach. But, just to be certain, she'd go ask Merry for the morning paper.

This had been the first week that Usopp and his friends haven't commanded the front page. After that horrible incident in Loguetown, Kaya couldn't help but feel relief for it. Yesterday there had been only a single line in small type on the third page. _'Straw Hats Still in East Blue'_. Surely today would be no different.

But still…knowing Usopp was so close….

Kaya's hand rose to her chest. It had been so long. As selfish as it was, she couldn't help but hope--

"Pirates! Pirates are coming!"

Kaya froze on the way out of her room. It was unusually early for the children's daily run through town. Too early, really.

"Pirates! Pirates on the Northern shore!"

Kaya hurried to the window, her heart in her throat. Pirates _ashore_, not pirates _attacking_--which was crux of the normal faux cries of panic. Looking through the glass, she could see Carrot, Pepper and Onion running full-tilt towards the mansion.

"Kaya!" they screamed in excited voices. "Kaya! Pirates!"

The young woman's gaze shot out to the distant blue waters. Could it really be? Whirling around --almost tripping in her haste-- Kaya swept up her robe and slippers and dashed out the door.

ashore

Even with her health improved, Kaya didn't have the stamina to keep pace with the wound-up trio as they dashed back down the road. Her legs and lungs were burning by the time her feet hit the cold white sand of the North beach. By that time the ship had furled her sails and weighed anchor in the deeper waters just past the sand bar. The ship was monstrous and unfamiliar, though its lion-shaped figurehead looked almost out of place in relation to a fearsome band of pirates.

Kaya had never laid eyes on the mark waving back and forth on the black Jolly Roger, but knew instantly to whom it belonged. The mark had Usopp's artistic hand all over, just as sure as if he had scrawled his signature upon it. Besides, the straw hat on the grinning skull pretty much gave it away.

Apparently Onion and the other two recognized the mark as well, for they were quick to drop their makeshift weapons (two pieces of driftwood and one really big rock), and relaxed their protective stance around her. Kaya smiled at them as she smoothed her hair back with pale fingers; those boys really were too sweet. Kaya stood with them and waited for the crew to disembark, a strange thrill grabbing hold of her solar plexus.

A giant of a man was the first to appear, carrying on his massive shoulders a small furry creature and a slender, dark-haired woman of extraordinary beauty. The large man waded effortlessly through the water and deposited his cargo on the dry sand, before turning to help the person behind him.

This person she recognized as the female of the trio that had helped save her and her village. Time had caused the redhead to bloom into full womanhood, and the results were striking. She seemed like a totally different person than from before. Nami waded through the water on her own, despite the protests from the handsome blond beside her.

The blond man was tall and thin, and cut a rather dashing figure in the dark suit he wore. He had a small kid tucked under his arm like a piece of luggage. The kid –looking slightly younger than her small friends— was struggling and yelling up at the other, who paid him no notice whatsoever as his eyes roved over the island speculatively. His gaze landed on Kaya and his jaw seemed to drop. Unfortunately, so did the young boy in his grip. The child landed in the water with a splash and came up cursing like a well-worn sailor. Kaya smothered a giggle behind her hand as her face reddened—though whether it was from the appreciative gaze or the salty language, she couldn't be sure.

The next figure would have shocked her if she hadn't made it a point to study all their bounty posters. Still, she couldn't help but fall back a step as the towering skeleton came into view. Pepper and Onion started shaking in their boots, and poor Carrot fainted dead away at her feet. But, Kaya trusted the man Usopp went adventuring with. With Luffy as captain, she knew that there had to be more to this fearsome looking crewmember than met the eyes. Still, she had to force herself from staring impolitely as the ivory figure reached the beach by walking _over top_ the water.

_What a strange collection of individuals_, she thought.

Thinking of the captain: Luffy was the next to appear. He looked at once exactly the same, yet totally changed. He jumped to shore with the nonchalance that so marked him in Kaya's mind. But the smiles, the laughter that she remembered so well-- those seemed to be missing. Watching him, Kaya was at once pointedly aware of the one person who wouldn't be stepping onto this shore. Thinking of the quiet swordsman, her gaze broke away. She had missed that fateful broadcast, but the transcripts of the trial were in all the papers the next day. Kaya thought it all tragic and terribly unfair.

She wondered how Usopp was taking it.

Usopp… There! There he was, coming to shore in slow, slogging strides; his head bent as if afraid of what he would see should he look up. Kaya took a few steps forward without realizing it, her hands clenching around themselves nervously.

He looked taller. Older. His skin was the same shade of sepia, though it was tinted here and there by fading blossoms of bruises. Usopp's left arm was carefully splinted. His hair was longer, but as unruly as ever. His clothes a bit different, but still retaining the same style she remembered so well. He carried himself differently now. And his eyes, when they finally turned up towards her, seemed a far cry from the boastful boy's that once loitered at her window.

Kaya's arms dropped, as her name left the liar's mouth. All sound dulled around her as she ran forward. The next thing she knew, her slippers were cold and wet and she had flung herself into his arms. Five seconds later three smaller forms plowed into them both, sending the lot of them crashing backwards into the low rolling surf.

home

_"W-well, you see, I always figured I'd go back home one day –after all our adventuring was done, of course— a-and me and Kaya…well…."_

Nami remembered these words as she watched Usopp hit the water in a tangle of limbs and laughter and badly concealed tears. She really didn't want to watch this reunion; she wanted to look somewhere—anywhere-- else, but some sort of masochistic side of her wouldn't let her eyes move away.

"_That could be years from now, Usopp! And that's assuming we even survive that long. Kaya might have even found someone else in that time. Why hold off for something so uncertain when you've got a sure thing right in front of you?"_

"It's good to see you guys!" Usopp said. He was smiling; it was the first time in a long while that Nami had seen a smile cross his face. Keeping his broken arm safely off to the side, he pulled Kaya and himself out of the water, while the three ex-Usopp Pirates clung to him like barnacles. "Wow, Carrot, you've really gotten tall! Pepper, Onion: are you really gonna let this guy get taller than you?"

"No way!!" the two shouted defiantly, causing more laughter.

Usopp turned to the petite blonde he held at arms length. "Kaya, you look…"

Nami held her breath.

"Wet."

The blonde turned red and broke out in embarrassed laughter that reminded Nami of the tinkling of a wind chime. Usopp smiled again, softer this time.

"What a strong laugh! You really did get better, didn't you?" His hands slipped from Kaya's shoulders to briefly clasp her hands. "I'm glad."

"_I don't get it; what do you get out of this, Nami? I'm not strong or courageous. Or handsome. You could basically have your pick of men—hell, Sanji's been fawning over you for years. I guess I just want to know: Why me?"_

"_Water 7…Enes Lobby… both places I had thought I'd lost you. Something broke in me when you left the crew. I'd realized long before that how much you'd come to mean to me, but I never really had to face the idea of losing you, just like that. I-I though I'd have all the time in the world to sway you over to my side. But that time… well, it reminded me of how uncertain our life is: how precious each minute. I don't want to waste anymore time."_

"Oi!" Sanji's voice yanked her back to the present. Nami watched him throw an arm around the sniper's shoulders as he pulled him over in a conspirator whisper that carried easily to everyone else's ears. "You didn't say Kaya was such a beauty! She's practically a vision of loveliness!"

Usopp shoved Sanji away. "Perverted cook, I said it all the time!" he hissed, smiling apologetically to Kaya.

Let me introduce you to everyone." Usopp turned sideways, missing the girl's blush. "You've already met Luffy. And Nami…."

Dredging up a polite smile felt like the hardest thing Nami ever had to do.

"The perverted cook here is Sanji. And this woman here is Robin."

"A pleasure."

Nami watched the rest of the introductions numbly. Usopp hadn't even stammered over her name. After everything that's happened, he had given her no more inflection, no more mention, than the rest of the crew. It hurt. It wasn't surprising, but it hurt all the same. Nami rubbed her arm and watched him through her bangs.

"_I just don't know, Nami. I mean, I like you. I really do. But it sounds like your asking for something pretty serious here."_

"—Brook."

"Beautiful lady, may I see your pant--" Two feet shot out and physically cut the skeleton's words off.

"_I'm not asking for forever, Usopp. If you decide to return to your village —to Kaya— at any time, I won't prevent or begrudge you. But, you've seen the others on this ship. Don't you want a little of that for yourself? We've been there so much for each other…. The two of us; it only makes sense, you know?"_

_"…I…I'd like some time to think." _

Nami watched Usopp, fighting to keep her expression neutral. It was true she never asked him for forever. But, deep down, she had always hoped he would offer it to her.

Suddenly, it was all too much. Suddenly, she couldn't take it: standing here; watching them. In an effort to preserve the last of her dignity, Nami jumped into action.

"Why don't we go on into town?" she began grabbing crewmates and shoving them along. "Usopp and Kaya have so much to catch up on, let's give them their privacy."

Usopp stared at her in surprise. "Huh? But Nami--"

"I know we'll be at this village for awhile, but we should think about restocking the ship just in case something happens. Plus, everyone's tired and hungry."

Kidd, who had been watching the Usopp Pirates with curiosity, dug his heels into the sand. "But we just ate!" he complained.

Nami's voice was tight as she pushed him forward. "Just go!" she said, nearly begging.

Sanji grabbed Kidd by the nape of the neck and picked him up. He gave the navigator a sidelong glance as he passed. "Are you all right?" he murmured.

Nami nodded brusquely, unable to speak. Her chest felt tight; her heart was pounding erratically against her ribcage. Every step seemed torture. Still, she kept walking, even as Luffy spoke up from the top of the hill.

"Trust him." He told her. Nami nodded again, putting a hand over her mouth to smother a sob. Luffy turned away from her to face the beach.

"Usopp." he called as he stared out across the sea.

"Yeah?"

Luffy adjusted his hat, covering his eyes even though the sun was obscured by thick grey clouds. "The thing's at sunset. Don't be late."

"Right."

"What thing?" Nami heard Kaya's voice ask softly and she took a second to marvel that Luffy had actually had the strength to comfort _her_ about her problems. The fact made her bite back another sob. She risked a single glance back.

Usopp's expression was solemn as he answered Kaya quietly.

"Zoro's memorial," he said.

merry

"Crap. That's my ma calling." Onion muttered at the distant cry in the ensuing silence.

"Mine's probably looking for me too," Carrot sighed.

"Yeah," Pepper added. "We skipped breakfast after all."

Three small stomachs growled loudly. The boys stared at each other, conferring swiftly and silently. Finally, they turned as one towards Usopp.

"You're staying for awhile, aren't you Captain?" Their dark eyes held the earnest worry that their mentor would slip away while their backs were turned.

"Yep," Usopp flashed a grin and a thumb. "Sure am."

"Okay! We'll catch you later then!"

Usopp watched them scurry up the incline and across the field, a nostalgic smile sliding across his face.

"They're growing up fast, but it seems like they haven't really changed a bit."

"Yes." Kaya agreed as she tucked a strand of platinum hair behind her ear. Usopp turned to her and stared silently. Kaya blushed and stared at her feet.

"You look really good," Usopp said quietly, his voice warm. "Your health was so fragile back then; I'm glad you're finally better."

Kaya linked her fingers together and stretched her arms out in front of her, her smile turning bittersweet. "It was my grief over my parents' death that kept me ill," she said softly. "When I let that go I found the strength to live my life in a way that would make them proud. I've been studying to be a doctor."

"Grief…" Usopp kicked the sand idly. "That takes awhile to move past, doesn't it?" the smile on his face matched Kaya's own. "I finally saw my dad, and when I did my grief over my mother's death nearly kept me from reconnecting with the very person I'd been trying to make proud all these years. It turned out okay in the end. But, now…." He let out a soft sigh, his expression clouded. Kaya put a pale hand on his arm.

"I heard… about Mr. Zoro."

Usopp swallowed heavily. "Yeah…." His voice was thick.

Kaya's hand left Usopp to move up to her mouth, where she nibbled on a fingernail—a bad habit she'd picked up while studying. "And…umm, Merry?" she broached hesitantly. Usopp wouldn't meet her gaze and she hurriedly stammered on. "It's just-- I couldn't help but notice the new ship. It's lovely, by the way. And much larger than Merry so I can see why you may have wanted to switch--"

Usopp watched the low tide draw away from the shore. "Merry's gone." His voice was low and calm. "She died long ago."

"Oh…."

"She was a true friend," Usopp's eyes carried the glint of pride as he remembered the caravel. "She pushed herself to the limit, and went peacefully in the end, after saving all of our lives."

"I'm glad she was a good companion to you."

"The best."

Kaya watched Usopp as Usopp watched the sea. She was once again struck by how different he seemed from before. There was something different in him, something that set him apart from the boy she used to know.

Usopp turned once more to face her, and some new determination seemed set in his eyes. He jammed one hand in his pocket and smiled a tight, nervous smile.

"There is something I'd like to show you. A surprise, kinda. Would you like to take a ride? Just around the island?"

Looking at him, Kaya wondered how she could refuse him anything. Nodding, she touched her hair again, her cheeks turning pink from her own thoughts.

"I'd love to." She murmured.

surprise

"You've got your eyes closed, right?" Usopp asked as her guided Kaya off Sunny's dock and into the gently rocking vessel.

Kaya smiled. "They're closed," she promised.

"Okay." Usopp maneuvered her to the nearest seat and turned to fiddled with the boat's levers, starting up the cola-powered paddles. "No peeking!" he tossed over his shoulder.

Mini Merry set out away from her mother-ship at a brisk pace, skirting the shoreline for awhile before turning and heading out deeper to sea. Usopp sat at the stern, enjoying the salty-spray that ruffled his hair and dampened the rising heat of midmorning. He could feel nostalgia coming off himself in waves, the mere idea of being home again was enough to ignite a burst of giddy energy from his middle, causing him to laugh aloud.

"Umm…Usopp?" Kaya's voice brought him quickly back to the present. "Am I allowed to look yet?"

"O-oh!" Usopp stammered as he slowly turned red. He wasn't about to admit he had nearly forgotten her presence! "Um, sure. Go ahead."

Kaya opened her eyes and drew a quick intake of breath at how far they were from the village. From the look on her face, she was both thrilled and nervous to be so far from shore in such a tiny vessel. Usopp watched her eyes move across the horizon and drop down to the boat's figurehead.

"It's Merry!" she gasped happily.

Usopp grinned. "Yup. Franky used wood from the original Merry Go to make this four-person scuttle." Usopp remembered clearly the chunk of hull that the ex-salvager had ripped from the caravel shortly before the CP9 dispatched the ship to Aqua Laguna's waves. His anger from then had been transformed into gratitude by the carpenter's thoughtfulness. "Thanks to him, a piece of Merry still lives on."

"How wonderful!" Kaya beamed at him.

Usopp smiled back silently, drinking in the sight of her. To see her again –and Onion and Carrot and Pepper-- so happy and well… it soothed the ache that had lately taken up residence in his heart. The tragedy of loss had seemed so all-encompassing on the ship. By stepping on this island and into other people's lives, Usopp got to put some distance on the whole affair. Zoro's death still hurt, but returning home has shown how Usopp's own life could still continue on.

"Paddle Merry isn't the only thing I have to show you," Usopp smirked, cutting the engine. He looked around thoughtfully. "He should be around here somewhere."

"He?" Kaya's eyes widened.

Usopp's grin turned mischievous and he nodded. The sly look still in place, he suddenly adopted an overly concerned tone. "Oh, but your still in you jammies and soaked through to boot! Maybe we should just turn around and go back…."

"You wouldn't!" Kaya's glare lost some force as a giggle escaped through her lips. Usopp exaggeratedly arch one eyebrow.

"I'll be fine," Kaya assured him. "The weather's warm enough that I won't get sick."

"Yeah, but with this humidity your clothes are likely to never dry." The liar's rebuttal carried a touch of seriousness.

"I'd like to live dangerously just this once." Kaya's eyes twinkled.

A mock gasp. "Kaya, you're a thrill-seeker!"

"Heehee…maybe."

A sudden spout of water erupted from the ocean a small distance away. The release of pressurized liquid was loud enough to make them both jump. Usopp was the first to recover.

"Aha!" he shoved his hand into his saddlebag and rummaged around for a minute.

"What was that?" Kaya asked as she stared at the ripples washing against their tiny boat. Usopp was too preoccupied to answer.

The sniper quickly found what he was looking for and pulled out a dull red shell. A little scuffed and nicked, it was nevertheless one of the precious dials he had received in Skypiea. Depressing the button, a strange wailing moan flowed out from the shell's opening. Smiling, Usopp leaned over the side of the boat and shoved the dial into the water as deeply as he could. The sound was inaudible to them now but Usopp knew the message was being delivered to its intended loud and clear.

A massive blue-black shape silently emerged from the sea, starting out as a small mound and then growing to the size of a small island. And it didn't stop there. Kaya gasped and jumped from her seat, clinging to Usopp's injured arm-- causing him to jerk and nearly capsize them.

The dark shape was blocking much of the horizon now, cutting a hole in the sky and casting a shadow over the tiny boat and the two lone figures within. The mass shifted slightly revealing one gigantic eye that seemed to regard them with curiosity.

Still clinging to Usopp, Kaya stared up in awe. "It's a—It's a--!"

"A giant whale!" Usopp readily supplied. "His name's Laboon. We met him when we first entered the Grand Line."

"He's enormous!"

"He sure is! He swallowed us whole! Luffy fought him and declared that they were rivals. He painted that skull on Laboon's forehead," he pointed to the faded mark covering most of the whale's scarred head. "Then, much later, we come to find that Brook was one of Laboon's long-lost companions that he had been waiting on for over fifty years. Their reunion was really something."

Kaya was wide-eyed and speechless. Laboon, seeing that nothing of interest was really going on, sunk back into the water and disappeared just as silently as he came. Usopp turned to Kaya proudly, as if he himself had created such a thing.

"Much cooler that my giant goldfish story, huh? Although, I saw one of those as well." Kaya gave him a slightly shaken look of disbelief.

"No lie! Ask one of the others! It was when the giants helped us escape the island of dinosaurs."

Kaya sat down, slowly digesting all of this, a look of wonder crossing her delicate features. Usopp grinned and sat down across from her.

"I've got lots of stories I can tell you now," he boasted. "And every one of them'd be true."

Kaya leaned forward, smiling eagerly with her eyes alight. "I want to hear them all!" she declared.

Usopp scratched his nose and looked away. "Heh. Well, you'll have to settle for just the highlights, I'm afraid. Because there's no telling when we'll be sailing out again. The government is still after us; we shouldn't stay in one place too long."

"I see," Kaya's excitement deflated. Clearing his throat, the sniper quickly charged the topic.

"So…Did I hear you say you were becoming a doctor?"

mourning

Sunset came too quickly and with it the somber reminder of current events. The sky was dark with heavy clouds that threatened to pour down on them at any moment. The horizon to the west was lit by the flicker of lightning rather than the soft glow of sunset. Tension was thick in the air. It was as if the emotions of the nine who stood upon the north beach had cast a pall over the island, cloaking everything in darkness.

The Straw Hats stood, facing the rising tide, in a semi-circle around a battered oak chest that sat open before them. Each held a smoking torch that cast a dull ring of illumination over the box's treasures: the sole possessions of the swordsman, Roronoa Zoro.

It was odd that the man known as the greatest swordsman in the world would own so very few things. It told of the simplicity of which he had lived his life; living only for the present, looking ever to the future, leaving nothing behind but his name.

Leaving the rest of the crew struggling with their grief, without even a body consign to the sea.

They had agreed a week ago to hold this ceremony once they hit land. It was a way for them all to come to terms with Zoro's death and a chance to make peace. Afterwards, they could move on, cracked but not broken. After this, they hoped, the pain would diminish.

Luffy stood front and center, his head bare and an achingly familiar black cloth tied around his left arm. His eyes were dark as he turned and scanned the others, meeting each of their gazes in turn. After the defeat of the four marine flagships, the captain had secluded himself from the others, showing himself only at mealtimes. Whatever realizations he came to that day had shook him greatly. He'd changed in a million small ways, leading the others to wonder if he would ever return to the Monkey D. Luffy they once knew.

Wordlessly, Luffy turned away from the others and walked up to the chest. Without hesitating, he reached in and picked up the glowing white katana: _Wadou Ichimoji_. He slid the sheath through one of the belt loops of his shorts, his eyes daring anyone to refute his claim to Zoro's most prized possession. As if any of them would. Turning, he gave one last look to the crate of his swordsman's belongings before walking back towards the others.

Everyone stood in awkward, pained silence, unsure as to what to say or do. Finally, Luffy's hand raised up and he shoved Nami gently forward. The navigator stared back at him, stricken, and then reluctantly nodded her head. She walked to the chest on shaky legs that gave way once she reached her goal.

Nami knelt next in front of Zoro's things and bit her lip. Her hands trembled as she shifted through the assorted items, trying to find the one thing that seemed all right for her to take. She couldn't imagine Zoro actually wanting her to touch anything of his, let alone give to her. She blackmailed him and he cursed at her; such was their relationship. But he had been one of her dearest friends, and there was no way Nami could just walk away without carrying a piece of him with her.

In the end she chose two objects. The first was a money pouch, tinkling gently with Zoro's hidden stash of beli. The small amount of cash didn't come near to what the redhead said he owed her, but Nami figured she could take this and call it even.

The second object was a worn and faded shirt with a gaudy swirl design and two missing buttons. It was the shirt Zoro had stolen from one of Arlong's men. It was the shirt he bled on as he fought with the others to free her and her village. Nami clutched the blue shirt to her chest as her vision blurred. She sat there until Usopp came up and helped her to her feet.

Usopp remained behind as Nami rejoined the others, his face long with sadness. It only took a moment's deliberation before he lifted up a long black object. _Yubashiri_'s hilt and sheath remained in perfect conditions, even long after the blade had been broken and rusted away. The katana felt at once awkward and familiar in Usopp's hands and his mind cast back to the day that he was forced to act as an extension to the blade. It had been terrifying at the time, but Usopp had later felt proud at being named as one of Zoro's swords. _Hana Arashi _lifted up his brother blade and slipped it into his sash, copying Luffy's earlier move. His chin tilted up proudly, Usopp swiveled around and returned to his place in line.

Sanji hesitated a moment, raising his hand to light a cigarette and then quickly deciding against it. He stepped forward in three long strides and stared into the chest with an inscrutable expression. After a long moment of contemplation, he snatched up an object with such severity it was as if it'd been stolen from him.

It was a wine bottle. The bottle that Sanji had given to Zoro after the swordsman had defeated Hawk-Eyes Mihawk. It was an excellent year, the finest wine in Sanji's stock. It lay back in his possession now, heavy and unopened. Zoro had never even gotten the chance to drink it. His face twisting up into something between anger and grief, Sanji stepped away and melted back into the group.

Chopper was the next one to go and waded through the sand on his tiny legs as tears flowed uninterrupted down his furry face. Unable to see into the chest in his current form, the reindeer turned humanoid and reached his large hand carefully into the chest. Following Nami's lead, Chopper picked out two items. His hand pulled back, closed delicately around one of Zoro's white shirts. It still smelled of the swordsman and Chopper found himself inhaling the scent deeply. The shirt was wrapped around the first aid kit that Chopper had made especially for Zoro (since he would hardly let the doctor treat his more serious wounds, let alone the little nicks and scrapes the he'd somehow get on a daily basis). While the swordsman had huffed and hawed at the time, Chopper knew he had appreciated it.

With Zoro gone, it seemed as if Chopper hardly had a job on the ship now. With that thought he let out a hiccupping sob and shrunk back down to his original size.

Robin took a moment to comfort him before stepping up to take her turn. Zoro had kept a surprising collection of books in Sunny Go's library; they ranged from books on swordsmanship to military histories and battle tactics to mediation and self-hypnosis. But, the book Robin had always found the most interesting to be in the swordsman's possession was a battered paperback of fiction. The book was short –barely a hundred pages— and told the story of a man's fight to stand out among men; to love whom he chose and live how he willed. Even though it was forbidden, even though it meant certain death, the man carried the courage to stand out and seek his own destiny. Robin had often wondered if the swordsman had drawn any parallels between that man and himself, or had he held him up as an example of what to strife for. This book was Robin's reminder that Zoro was a more complicated man than he had seemed, and she could think of no other of his possessions that spoke so clearly to her.

Franky swaggered up and then stopped, scratching his head. His relationship with the swordsman was one of mutual respect and casual camaraderie; he hadn't the foggiest clue of what to take from this chest of personal objects. But if this was how Strawhat wished it to be, then who was Franky to balk? Spying something familiar in the chest, the cyborg latched on to it like a lifeline.

Late one night, when Zoro had relieved Franky from his watch and the cyborg wasn't yet ready for sleep, the two had put their heads together for modifications on the lookout tower. The gym elements of the room had pleased Zoro, but it wasn't really up to the swordsman's training needs. They had talked long into the night; as Franky sketched up plans for extended platforms, open airways and heavier equipment.

Unfortunately Nami had forbidden them from filling the crow's nest with any more testosterone than it already possessed, and the plans were scrapped. It made Franky's throat tighten to see that Zoro had kept the diagrams all this time regardless.

Brook stepped forward and his skeletal hand lingered over the famous meitou _Shuusuui_: the sword that returned his shadow to him and freed him to walk in the sun once more. He couldn't help but feel nostalgia for the blade. But in the end, he couldn't take it. A sword was such a personal possession; Brook didn't feel he truly carried a claim to one of Zoro's katana. In the end, he chose the varnished oak box that contained a whetstone, sword oil, and various other materials for maintaining a priceless blade. His own cane sword had suffered neglect due to laziness and his pursuits of other interests. Brook held the box to his chest and vowed that this would no longer be the case.

Kidd hesitated the longest, not knowing the swordsman very well and still feeling somewhat responsible for his death. He opened his mouth to protest, but a warning look from Luffy stopped him and sent him skittering forward. He stared into the chest uncertainly, unsure what to grab and too afraid to break the almost sacred silence to ask. Finally, the boy chose a small hand weight; the one that Zoro had teasingly offered him when he had motioned to the swordsman that he also wished to become strong. Everyone had gotten a good laugh out of it. Kidd had been angry at the time, but now saw the incident of Zoro's way of including him into the group. He stepped away from the chest clutching the tiny weight and praying that his mom would somehow find the swordsman and make his transition into the afterlife more comfortable.

When everyone had retrieved their mementos and stood together once more, Luffy began to speak. The flames of the torches fluttered and flickered, alternatively highlighting and shadowing his features that tilted blankly upwards. His voice was low and hoarse but steady, as he delivered a eulogy to the roiling sky.

"Zoro, you were our rock. Everyone leaned against you," Luffy's head lowered a fraction. "Especially me. You sheltered us without coddling us. You stood strong and sturdy against everything that came our way. You never hesitated. You always gave it your all."

A chorus of sobs broke in, from Nami and Chopper, and Usopp and Kidd. Luffy continued, his hands clenching tightly at his sides.

"You were the greatest swordsman: the best in all the world. But you weren't just that. You were also a great warrior, a great pirate, a great friend…."

Tears were flooding down Franky's face and it seemed as if Brook was holding back through supreme effort alone. Standing between them, Sanji bit his lip until it bled, his hand clenching around his torch in a white-knuckled grip.

"You were always there for us." Luffy's voice had gotten quieter, losing momentum as his shoulders began to tremble. "And now you're not. And—and I don't know how to deal with that."

Luffy stopped speaking altogether, his hand coming up to his forehead to tug at his hair as he fought desperately for control.

"Luffy…" Robin watched him with sorrowful eyes, her heart aching for him.

"But I'm not going to give up!" he shouted out suddenly, declaring the words like a battle cry. He held his left hand aloft, his ring glinting in the torchlight. "We made a promise; a promise on our claim to the legendary One Piece. And I'm going to keep that promise, even if you're not by my side," his voice cracked. "You wouldn't expect anything less. You always expected more than what we thought we could give… and you were always right."

The tears Luffy had been holding back began pouring down his face. His hand clenched and lowered to his chest, resting against the abused muscle called his heart. Swallowing, he took a deep breath and made to finish his speech before grief made him unable to speak. His eyes held an angry glint as they rose to the heavens once more.

"Damn you for leaving me like this. I won't forgive you. Someday I'll find you and punch you straight in the face! And afterwards, maybe we could go adventuring together again…somewhere in that great, unexplored place where you must be."

Luffy fell silent. Brook took this as his cue and raised his violin. Resting his chin on the stringed instrument, he played. The melody was haunting --heartbreaking-- but it carried with it an undercurrent of strength and triumph that put the listener immediately in mind of their fallen friend. Brook had worked on this piece of music for an entire month, in secret, and now finally Zoro's Farewell was lifted into the winds and carried across the sea, to mix with the flashes of lightning in a spectacular accompaniment.

The music reached its crescendo as memories of Zoro flooded their minds. Chopper wailed into the wind. Sanji lowered his head, letting his curtain of hair cover his dampening face. Robin closed her eyes, letting the violin speak for what was in her heart. Standing together, struggling not to fall apart, the Straw Hat's mourned.

The sounds wrought by Brook's violin faded and Luffy stepped forward once more. Closing the lid on the chest, he lifted it and placed it on a raft set at the water's edge. Kicking out with his foot, Luffy sent the raft with Zoro's belongings out with the current. Jarred by the waves, the chest slowly drifted out to sea.

"Usopp," he called out wearily.

Usopp handed his torch over to Franky and pulled Kabuto off his back. He shoved the point of the slingshot deep into the sand and used his uninjured arm to pull it back. A firebird star was loaded inside the thong, prepared to consign the swordsman's possessions to ash. Usopp took careful aim, but his vision kept wavering as tears clouded it. He stared for a long time at his target, his arm shaking. Suddenly, he released the weapon's tension and let its ammo fall harmlessly onto the sand.

"I can't do it!" he choked, before brushing past the others and running full-tilt into the crashing surf.

Usopp waded out until his feet could no longer touch the bottom. From there he swam towards the chest floating on its lonely raft. Panting and crying and choking on the sweeping waves, the sniper grabbed for it and tugged it back to shore.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, on land again, collapsing to his knees. "I just can't. This is all we have left of him. I just can't give it up." His hand reached out to clutch at the chest protectively.

Luffy stared long at the sniper, and inscrutable expression on his face.

"Luffy?" Brook asked quietly, his voice uncertain.

"It's fine," he said finally. "Take it back to the ship."

Turning away, Luffy dowsed his torch in the wet sand and walked off into the darkness.

kinship

It was a bloody sunset that tinted the waters of the Grand Line, before gradually giving way to the blue-black of night. Gossamer clouds wafted across a gibbous moon, painting the ship in shades of grey. It was a cool night: downright chilly, if one thought about it. But, far from complaining, this fact gave the crew of the Red Hair Pirates hope that they'd soon reach their destination. A glance at the charts said they'd reach Drum Island by morning. Until then they worked a dog's watch while the ship crashed through breaking waves at full sail.

Ben sat by the prowl, enjoying his evening cigarette and brooding on the young swordsman lying unconscious below deck. The wind blew sharply here, deafening all else but it's steady hiss. The cold was biting against his ears and cheeks, and the sea spray lay on him like a layer of frost, but nowhere else was there a better place to be alone with one's thoughts.

"You should be abed by now," a soft voice chided from behind.

Apparently, tonight, nowhere was sacred, Ben mused to himself before turning his eyes from the opaque waters below. Shanks's normally bright presence was washed out by the moonlight. His eyes still glowed strongly though; no amount of darkness could quench that light. Ben's eyes lingered on them as he chewed thoughtfully on the butt of his smoke.

"The same could be said for others," he said at last. "Up late drinking again, Captain?"

Shanks stepped up to the other, lending some body heat against the frigid wind. "Oh no you don't," he huffed crossly. "No delving into my demons when yours are so clearly occupying your mind." Those bright eyes seemed to bore right through Ben. "Well? A beli for your thoughts?"

Ben raked his nails idly across the wooden pulpit, his smooth brow furrowed. It was some moments before he opened his mouth to speak. "Why do you think it was Roronoa up on that stand, instead of our boy Luffy?"

"Hmm…" Shanks hummed neutrally as he stared up at the moon. "Hard to say."

"Was he playing the martyr, you think?"

"Could be. Could be deeper than can be explained."

"Luffy certainly thinks the world of him."

"Aye." Shanks frowned up at the sky. "Don't know if I'd peg the swordsman for a martyr but people, being people, are infinitely unpredictable. Only the man himself can tell us for sure."

Ben flicked the cherry-red ash of his cigarette downwind. "Then we may never get the answer." His eyes flicked to his captain. "I fear we're running a losing race against the clock."

He felt Shanks heavy gaze as the other regarded him. "You've got a lot invested in this lad," the redhead said at length.

Ben shrugged noncommittally, refusing to meet the other's eyes. "Maybe."

"And why is that, I wonder?"

"I don't know, Shanks. I don't know what it is." Ben spoke quietly, his voice barely heard over the wind. "We've never spoken --hell I've never even seen him conscious-- but I feel some sort of kinship when I look at him. I get the feeling we're alike in some way."

Shanks's face scrunched up comically as he pondered. "Well, you're both First Mates."

"I thought his official title was Swordsman."

"Bah." The redhead tsked irritably. "You saw Luffy back when Roronoa was off fighting Mihawk. You heard how he spoke of the lad. You saw his eyes."

"Aye…."

They were both silent for a moment. The sea looked like a dark surface of jagged glass. The moon hid behind a cloudbank and the wind seemed to pick up, piercing through their clothing with bitter bites. Ben watched Shanks shrug closer into his heavy cape. After the battle with Aokiji, the redhead hadn't had much of a taste for the cold. Ben felt bad for keeping him out here.

With some effort, he shrugged off his somber musings and turned away from the bowsprit, indicating his readiness to move on to warmer surroundings. He pinched out his cigarette and gave the other man a smirk that bordered on rakish.

"And of course, the other similarity is the fact that both the lad and I have to constantly deal with exasperating, foolhardy, stone-headed captains with no real concept of self-preservation. Though," he said in an aside. "To judge by this one's scars, he's got a good deal of that last fault as well."

Shanks began to snigger but stopped abruptly. "_Handsome_, stone-headed captains. You forgot handsome!" Shanks pouted as he maneuvered his First down the deck and towards the cabins.

Ben smirked. "No I didn't."

"Knave! I've killed men for lesser insults."

A snort. "No you haven't."

Shanks laughed heartedly in response.

The frantic slap of boots across the wood planks interrupted the two's moment of mirth. "Beckman! Beckman!" the figure suddenly rounded into view. "Boss, Sir!"

Ben regarded the newcomer, the smile gone from his face as if it were never there. "What is it?"

The younger man had his hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath. "It's Roronoa…"

One look at his subordinate's face showed that the news wasn't good. Ben frowned. Seeing this, the man paled.

"Y-you said to let you know if anything changed, sir."

Ben's face seemed to age in front of Shanks's eyes. "Thank you, Rockstar. Go on back, now. I'll be down in a moment."

"Go on without me," he told the redhead as he altered his course towards the sickbay. Shanks ignored him and kept pace.

"Looks like neither of us is getting any sleep tonight," he sighed.

"You're coming?" Ben couldn't mask his surprise. Shanks hadn't looked in on the young man even once since they set sail.

"Aye, if this truly is the end for the World's Greatest Swordsman…" Shanks's eyes were dark. "As an emperor, it's only proper to bear witness to the death of the King's knight."

fading

Rockstar was on his feet and at his elbow as soon as he stepped into the room.

"Can I get you a drink, Boss?" he asked as he offered his captain a chair.

"Nay, man. It's not a night for drink." Shanks replied, giving a heavy sigh as he lowered himself into the seat. He frowned. The room smelled of sickness. "Tonight, even the finest spirits would taste like vinegar. Go ahead and take a break, lad. Us old men will take over from here."

Rockstar nodded and quickly made his exit.

The redhead's sharp eyes moved to the figure on the bed. He wasn't a medical man, nor even anything up to Ben's standards, but he could tell immediately that he was in the presence of a dying man.

Zoro lay flush across the mattress, his skin blending in seamlessly with the white sheets he lay on. By contrast, the veins in his neck stood out like creeping blue ivy. His breathing was labored; coming in fits and starts. Sweat beaded across his face and the parts of his torso that wasn't swathed tightly in bandages.

Ben scrubbed his hands down in a pan of water and moved to examine the wounded swordsman. His large hands flit delicately across Zoro's arms and chest, measuring things like pulse-rates and blood pressure and who-knows what else. Shanks watched him in silence. After a moment, Ben began to speak. Whether he was doing so for his captain's benefit or was keeping up a running commentary purely for himself, it was hard to say. Shanks listened closely either way.

"The boy's sweating like mad but he hasn't a fever." He put his ear briefly to Zoro's chest and frowned, before moving to touch the swordsman's wrist. "I can't hear the heartbeat clearly; it's muffled. And his pulse is all over the place."

Ben stepped back with a curse, pinching the bridge of his nose. Shanks took in his First Mate's slumped shoulders and asked the question that he already knew the answer to.

"What does it mean?"

Ben's lips were thin and bloodless as he looked over at the other. "It means we're losing him. Damn it!" The taller man cursed suddenly, smacking the side of his fist against the wall.

Shanks lowered his head. He thought of Luffy. And he thought of what he would feel if faced with a similar situation. The swift stab of pain that penetrated his chest could only be the tip of the iceberg compared to what his protégé must be feeling. Shanks teeth gnashed together in frustration. Hope was just a few hours away and yet it seemed as if they would trip at the finish line.

He let himself wallow in the unfairness of it all, just for a moment. Then he straightened and rose to his feet.

"You did all you could and more," he said soothingly as he gripped his mate's arm. "Some things…." He trailed off.

Ben nodded mutely, his face turned away. Releasing his grip, Shanks moved to stand over Zoro. Already the swordsman's breathing seemed slower, shallower. Shanks stared down at him for a long moment, memorizing his every feature.

"You were a brave lad. Larger than life from what I hear." He reached out and gave the cool hand a squeeze. "Thank you, for all that you did for him." His words were heartfelt. Luffy meant a lot to him, and he knew the boy wouldn't have gotten as far as he did without this man at his side.

As Shanks moved his hand away, his fingers purposely pulled something with them.

"His ring?" Ben questioned curiously. Wearily.

"I'll send it back to them," Shanks replied softly, as if the owner was merely sleeping. "It'll be something, at least." He stowed the band of gold safely in his breast pocket. "I'll get the boys to prepare a dawn service. He's a pirate, so we'll give him a proper burial at sea."

"Don't be so hasty to shroud the boy, Red Hair." A voice chided from the entryway.

"You…" Turning, Ben's eyes widened a fraction.

Shanks donned a lighter attitude like a cloak. "Does no one sleep any more?" he sighed.

"I believe Roronoa Zoro still has some fight left in him." The figure swept into the room dramatically, his golden eyes fixed on the man in question. A wave of energy followed him into the room, washing over the others like hot ash. Zoro's breathing hitched visibly.

"What are you doing?" Ben demanded angrily. "Douse your spirit man! His body can't take it."

The other didn't even spare him a glance.

"Leave us," he ordered in a whisper.

The larger man moved to protest, but Shanks halted him. "Let's do as he says, Ben. If what you were saying was true, he can do no more harm."

Ben still seemed unconvinced, but after looking into his captain's eyes, he decided to go with it. With a final glare at the intruder, Beckman allowed the redhead to escort him out of the room.

The dark figure stood in silence for a moment, before walking forward and placing a thin hand across the swordsman's brow. His voice, when he spoke up, was sharp and biting.

"So, you choose to give up, young man? That does not sound like the swordsman I know."

It seemed to him that Zoro squirmed invisibly against his palm. Pressing harder, the man continued mercilessly.

"I know you are hurt, but don't run away from it like a coward. You're supposed to be the greatest. I certainly didn't lose to you so you could die like this."

Zoro's breathing turned harsh. His face was slowly turning red, save for the points of white pressure from alien fingertips. The sweat evaporated off his body in lightly trailing tendrils of mist. Behind his heavy lids, Zoro's eyes began to move.

"Fight, young Zoro!" the figure hissed. "Fight and survive, or die and be forever known as a fraud!"

Zoro stilled so suddenly it was as if he'd been instantly struck dead. Then, a dozen, long heartbeats later he breathed out, and then back in again. His breathing continued smoothly, evenly, his face loosing some of its paleness. His soul worn out, his body limp; Zoro slept.

The lips under the well-groomed mustache tightened upwards in a smile. The man patted the swordsman's cheek. "Good lad."

The captain and his mate were waiting for him when he exited the room. He paused there, his head tilted back to take in the glow of the moon.

"Well?" Ben impatiently broke the silence. The other looked at him.

"It is not yet his time."

Shanks broke out into a relieved smile. He let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head in admiration. "You're a man full of unending surprises, Hawk Eyes."

"Thanks," Ben added simply.

Mihawk inclined his head slightly. "Goodnight gentlemen." He walked away and swiftly disappeared into the shadows.

Lighting up a cigarette, Ben turned a rueful eye to his friend. "I thought you weren't going to tell him Roronoa was on the ship?" he accused jokingly.

Shanks returned the stare with bemusement. "Heh. Funny thing, that." His hand reached up and grabbed Ben's, moving it to his mouth to steal a rare hit off the other's smoke. Exhaling it out in a perfect ring, he chuckled and admitted:

"Fact of the matter is: I didn't."

drink

Sanji walked the beach. The storm had been violent, but passed quickly. Through it all the Straw Hats had taken refuge in Usopp's old house, listening to the rain hit the roof in sheets as thunder rolled intermittently. They talked long into the night as they huddled around the fireplace, reminiscing on old times. All except Luffy, who had taken off after Zoro's memorial and hadn't been seen since.

Everyone else had fallen asleep in various piles around the room. Sanji, however, remained awake, sitting on a stool near the window, smoking and watching the storm's progress across the island. When the rain finally abated, some hours before morning, the blond borrowed a small lantern and quietly left the house. Tucked under his arm was a small blanket and recently reclaimed green bottle of vintage wine.

The beach encompassing Syrup village wasn't a large one. Still, it took Sanji nearly an hour of walking to find his target. Large cliffs loomed over him on the inland side, creating the imposing feeling that the island was doing its best to keep foreigners out. Which was maybe why Luffy was sitting in the sand with his back to them, on the far corner of the south slope.

Luffy sat cross-legged in the damp sand, Zoro's white katana lying across his lap. As Sanji predicted, the other man was soaked; his dark hair and clothes were practically dripping as he stared dully out towards the ocean.

If Luffy noticed the cook and his approaching lamplight, he didn't acknowledge it. Undeterred, Sanji walked right up until he was flush beside him. He stood there silently for a moment, watching the high tide and letting the other get accustomed to his presence. Finally, he snorted.

"Not even the sense to come in out of the rain," Sanji grumbled without looking Luffy's way. He nonchalantly let the blanket he carried drop over his captain's head.

"Thanks," Luffy murmured, as the dry fabric fell softly around his shoulders.

"Chopper would freak if he saw you out here in this condition," Sanji offered casually as he folded his long legs to sit beside the other. He grimaced when the wet sand instantly soaked his pants-seat.

He sat the lamp in front of him, studiously _not_ taking notice of Luffy's splotchy face and swollen eyes. Lifting up the wine, Sanji popped the cork out with his teeth and offered the first drink to his friend.

"I don't drink," Luffy's words were nearly inaudible.

"You should, at least for tonight. It'll help you sleep."

Luffy shook his head.

"He wouldn't have wanted it to go to waste," Sanji pressed, holding the bottle out to the other. Luffy stared at him with dark eyes before reaching up and taking it. He took a slow, long drink, coughing slightly as it burned the back of his throat.

They spent much of the time with their eyes aimed at the sea, passing the bottle wordlessly back and forth. Mindful of the others talking earlier, Sanji wondered what memories Luffy had of this island, and how prominently their lost swordsman featured in them. It was so long ago; maybe the other didn't remember anything of it at all. It was hard to tell how his captain's mind worked most of the time.

"We landed on this beach," Luffy began softly, as if answering Sanji's thoughts. "When we heard those Cat-pirates were coming, Usopp greased the slope up with oil. Nami slipped and took Zoro down with her. She climbed over him to get out, but Zoro was stuck fast." Luffy's shoulders shook slightly, either from laughter or cold. "Turned out the bad guys made land on the opposite beach. Boy, was Zoro mad."

Luffy fell silent, his face twisting into a pained expression. He clutched Zoro's sword closer to him. His chest tight, Sanji upended the wine bottle and downed the last dregs. It was damn good wine. It made his eyes burn. Sanji blinked past it. He chewed on his lip and turned the empty bottle around in his hand. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Frowning, the blond tried again.

"You know," he began, his voice a little too uneven for his liking. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Your dream was the most important thing to him; more important even than his own."

Luffy listened to this silently. Bolstered by that and by his share of the wine, Sanji brashly went on. "Stupid Swordsman. This wasn't the first time he'd done something like this. Back in Thriller Ba--" he cut off abruptly, mentally kicking himself. Luffy was feeling bad enough without him revealing _that_ little piece of information. The blond dropped the wine bottle and cursed. Damn that asshole for up and dying like that, leaving Sanji sitting here making excuses for him!

Chin on his knees, Luffy watched him mutely, waiting for him to continue. Sanji sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"Shit, Luffy…" his voice was sounded both tight and tired. "You've got to let it go. You know you were everything to Zoro. You were his whole damn world." Sanji's hands clenched. "He fucking lo--"

"Don't!" Luffy called out hoarsely, his face stricken. "Please—just, don't."

Sanji cleared his throat and looked away. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It's okay… I just--"

"I know." Sanji took in a deep breath and tried again. "All I was saying was that idiot wouldn't have done what he did if there had been any other way. So don't, you know," the blond idly dug a hole in the sand with his heel. "Don't hold that idiot's actions against him." He finished in a mumble.

"I know," Luffy smiled sadly. "I don't."

Sanji nodded brusquely, his face turned away. "Good."

They sat there quietly a few minutes more, watching as the sky began to lighten in the east. It was a new day, full of choices. They both knew they couldn't stay on this island forever. But for now, it was as good a place as any. After that….

"What are you going to do?" the cook quietly asked the question that had been plaguing on his mind.

Luffy didn't answer immediately. After a long moment's thought, he grunted and stood up, dusting futilely at the sand coating his shorts. He then stuck out a grain-speckled hand to his friend.

"Right now," Luffy's voice was steady and his eyes finally clear as he pulled Sanji to his feet. "I'm gonna get some sleep."

Sanji thought that sounded like a good plan.

tbc


	9. Chapter 9

_Title:_ Final Betrayal

_Author:_ AstroKender

_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.

_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Alternate Timeline. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.

_**Spoilers:**_ Spoilers span up to and possibly beyond the Thriller Bark arc. **Do not** **read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.

_Notes:_ Sorry for the long wait. Things both in and out of my control helped to contribute to the delay.

By now certain events have been made known in the manga: information that wasn't available at the time when first roughing this story out. After thinking long on the matter, I decided to keep what I had written despite its deviation from cannon. After all (among many things), by being set in the future, this entire fic will eventually fly far from Oda-san's creations. So, from now on, this fic will bear an Alternate Timeline tag. Gah, like you people care. Stop reading this blather and go on to the fic!

Final Betrayal – Chapter 9

intimidation

Snow was falling light but steady as the Red Force pulled into an inlet on the south side of Drum Island. The whole land was blanketed in a glaring white that hurt the eyes to look upon. Circumventing a few small icebergs, the ship coasted forward on a trimmed sail, towards a low slope on the right-hand side of the bay. It was the only way to get to shore; the rest of the inlet bore only craggy cliffs of ice and rock.

The locals must have been on lookout for foreign ships, because an armed retinue was there to welcome them as they weighed anchor. The Red Hair Crew assembled on deck, underdressed but standing proud, as the leader of the squadron stepped forward. He was tall and angular, with two long twists of hair extending from his head like horns.

"State your intentions," he called out in a sharp baritone. "Are they for good or ill?"

Visibly free of weapons, Shanks moved to the fore. His customary smile was missing, though; the state of current events was too precarious not to take things seriously. "We are on mission to save a life. A young man in my care is badly injured and would benefit greatly from treatment by your island's famous doctors."

The squad leader signaled to one of his men who nodded and stepped warily onto the ship. Giving a little bow, he asked politely to be able to verify the existence of the injured party. Ben signaled Lucky Roux to lead the way to the ward, while he remained near their captain. Shanks' eyes didn't leave the squad leader. The silence between them was as thick as the heavy drifts of snow.

A few moments later the soldier reappeared on deck. Hopping back down to the frozen ground, he trotted back to his superior and whispered a few words into his ear. The leader nodded and turned back to the Red Hair Pirates.

"My man says you speak the truth. I am Customs Officer Gazelle and I bid you welcome to Sakura Kingdom: the Island of Blooming Hope. We shall grant you passage to the capital in Bighorn. There you may make your request to Lord Dalton. I will write you a pass. It will take a few hours to prepare the paperwork and send word ahead of your arrival. Please wait here until then."

Yasopp suddenly sprung forward. "The lad hasn't got that long! He's only barely hanging on as it is! Can't you make an exception and let us go without a pass?"

The Gazelle's square face was stern. "Impossible. That would go against protocol."

"Blooming hope?" Yasopp snarked aloud, his pistols held in an easy grip. "More like bloomin' assholes! The kid needs help now!"

Shanks wordlessly waved the sniper back. The redhead turned calm eyes to the official. "I never was a man for protocol," he smiled briefly. "Not meaning to be disrespectful, but we can't be waiting another minute to get this man the help he so desperately needs. If you have any compassion -–and any sense— you will kindly provide us escort to your capital."

Gazelle drew himself up to his full imposing height. "Is that a threat, sir?" he asked in a clipped voice.

Swords and guns were suddenly drawn on both sides.

Shanks' expression remained neutral, but he let out a small push of spiritual energy, just enough to make those standing against him weak in the knees. "Think of it as a friendly suggestion." He spoke in a low and dangerous voice. He smiled then: sharp and cutting.

The officer bristled with fury, sputtering below his stubby mustache. "Y-you! I will not tolerate threats and intimidation! If you wish your man to live, stand down immediately and--"

"Shanks!" Ben called out suddenly, his voice carrying clearly to all parties. "You're one of the Four Emperors aren't you? There's no need to take this insult; just blow them all away."

Shanks stared at his First; Ben was looking positively bored. The islanders, however, were having far different reactions.

"What?"

"Four Emperors?"

"Shanks! That's Red Hair Shanks!"

"He's right, look at the mark!"

"He could slaughter us all in a second!"

The exclamations increased in volume, blending in with one another in an awe-filled cacophony. Even the leader's face turned pale. And it was only a moment before he motioned his men to silence and quietly cleared his throat. "After careful consideration," he spoke, his tone bearing markedly more respect for the strangers than was previous. "I've decided to let you go ahead without the paperwork. And I myself will escort you to directly to Lord Dalton. However, threaten him as you've threatened us and –emperor or no— I will personally cut you down." His barrel chest stuck out with conviction.

Shanks nodded seriously, not so much as a twitch to his lips. "I understand. You have my thanks."

"Indeed." The man seemed to gather up the remains of his dignity. "Prepare your injured man. The winds can be harsh and brutal; cover yourselves well. We will convene just beyond those trees," he pointed. "I will have a sled ready there."

"Much obliged." Shanks inclined his head. A wave of his finger and his men relaxed, moving into action and prepping the ship for a stay in icy port. The redhead turned about and headed below decks, Ben two steps at his heels.

"_That_ was unnecessary." Shanks muttered ruefully, referring to his mate's earlier outburst. He could practically hear Ben shrug in response.

"Like we had time to negotiate?"

"Still…." Shanks' foray into seriousness sputtered and died as a snicker escaped him. "I must say it _was_ most effective. Though I'm afraid your little stunt didn't earn us any friends."

"You have too many friends as it is," Ben said in mock complaint. "You're a ferocious pirate lord; make a few enemies for god's sake."

Shanks snorted.

By the time they reached the sickbay, Zoro had already been laid out onto a stretcher and was ready to go.

"Already got 'im wrapped up for ya." Lucky pointed out the blankets upon blankets and even a few spare patches of sailcloth swaddling the swordsman. The only thing visible on the lad was the small stretch of face between the eyebrows and the upper lip. It was a humorous sight, but probably necessary.

"Thanks, Roux." Shanks smiled. "What's say you round up Yasopp and carry this cocoon off the ship? We'll take it to those doctors and see what young Zoro hatches into."

"Hopefully not something that'd eat his mummies…." Roux said as he grabbed one end of the skid. It took him a moment to maneuver both his own bulk and that of his burden out the door but, once cleared, they could hear him calling up for Yasopp as he dragged Zoro's unconscious body down the passageway.

"I'd better go help before he tries to cart the thing up the stairs," Ben muttered and then departed.

"Are you coming with us?" Shanks turned and looked expectantly at the shadow darkening the corner of the room. "It wouldn't be a proper party without you."

Mihawk grimaced in distaste and stepped forward. "I think not." He leaned against the bed Zoro had previously occupied, his gold eyes glittering in the lamplight. "I have full confidence in Roronoa's ability to recover, with or without these doctors of yours."

"Yes, of course." Shanks nodded sagely. "You've just been sitting in this room for the view, I gather then."

Mihawk ignored the other's baiting. "Until then, I shall wait here in the ship, where it's warm and I have full access to your stock of mulled wine."

Shanks scowled. "You scoundrel…."

"Heh heh."

"Seriously though, it wouldn't hurt to get your own wounds looked at as well." The redhead gestured to the bandages poking out of the other's neatly pressed shirt. "A battle between the two greatest swordsmen probably warrants a bit of medical attention."

Mihawk rolled his eyes and made a shooing motion with his hand. "You've got a new duckling to mother; see to him and leave me be."

"You'll not be running off, will you?"

"It's a testament to the quality of your grog that I've hung around this long."

Shanks leveled a calculating stare at him.

"If I've tolerated your idiocy for all these months, it's unlikely that I'll be slipping off into the night anytime soon." The man spoke with a clip showing only the barest traces of his exasperation.

But his words were enough to make Shanks relax. Thusly mollified, the redhead turned to leave.

"Besides," Mihawk's voice trailed after him. "I've grown fond of this vessel. When at last I do break away from your mothering, I think I might just take it with me."

onward

Shanks stared with a disheartened gaze into the milky eyes of the yak that was to carry them to the capital. The sled was a battered and bedraggled thing, clearly not large enough for all of them. The redhead cursed softly and had to rethink their plans.

"Yasopp, Roux, head back to the ship. Ben and me will go on from here."

"But Capt'n!" Yasopp shot a distrustful look towards Officer Gazelle and sidled closer. "Maybe this it what was planned," he hissed. "Splittin' up at this point could be dangerous."

"From what I've been able to gather, this nation has only recently come into being," Ben spoke calmly. "Most of their military is straight from the fields, as the say. This island lacks the manpower to do us any real harm."

Shanks grinned at his marksman. "There you have it then! No need to worry. We'll patch the lad up and be back in time for lunch."

"Actually, the capital is near on a four hour's ride." Gazelle spoke up upon hearing the pirate's comment.

"Semantics, sir." Shanks gave a moue of dismissal and waved the others to work, while he made himself cozy in the small bench with their reluctant guide.

Yasopp sighed and helped Ben maneuver Zoro's cot onto the sled. "I still don't feel right about it," he muttered.

"As long as we get the lad fixed…" Ben said in reply. "The rest can be dealt with."

"Has he sent word to Luffy yet?" Yasopp asked in a low voice as he made sure Zoro was properly covered against the elements.

"He doesn't want to get his hopes up."

"For the best, I expect. It'd be cruel to say his First's alive only to have him fade out before the boy got here."

Ben frowned. "That's not going to happen."

Yasopp gave him a long look before smiling. "Of course not." He dusted off his hands and stepped back, pulling Lucky with him as the larger man was staring at the unfortunate yak with a pondering look. Ben gave them a nod and wedged himself in the back of the skiff, beside their injured cargo.

"Are you prepared?" Gazelle asked stiffly.

"Aye!" Shanks' steely expression gave more weight than did his playful tone. "Let's give your cow some exercise."

"Hup, hup!" the officer called out with a flick of the reins. The yak stuttered forward, pushing through the piling drifts of snow with more skill than Shanks would have given it credit for. They moved out of the copse of trees and into open land. The snow freckled across their vision as the sled was pulled along at a steady but moderate pace.

Shanks craned his neck to peer back at his First Mate. Ben was wedged in a corner of the skiff, his cold and uncovered hands fumbling to get his lighter to work. It seemed the wind was rushing past just fast enough to prevent the man from enjoying a good smoke. Shanks smirked.

"You getting along back there, Ben?" he called out innocently.

"Like a dream!" Ben shouted back, shoving his smokes away in disgust. He tried to shift his long legs and bashed his knee good for the trouble.

"Glad to hear it!" Shanks laughed. With nothing else to do but watch the scenery slide by, the redhead burrowed into his cape, closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.

image

"--A wing? A whole wing? I mean, come on! He should have at least asked me or something. It _is_ my house."

On a rug near the fireplace, Luffy woke –his head feeling full of cotton-- to the sounds of Usopp launching a full tirade over by the kitchen. The sniper was flailing his arms madly as he groused his troubles to an amused Brook. He had been hearing them subconsciously for a while now, as he lay at the edge of awareness. Luffy slowly sat up, scrubbing at his hair and slowly pulled off a tattered quilt he didn't remember falling asleep with.

"Ah Luffy!" Brook was the fist to notice the movement on the far side of the room. "Good afternoon! Did you sleep satisfactory? I'm afraid you just missed lunch but, then again, so did the one who was supposed to cook it!" laughing merrily, the skeleton pointed to the nearby chair.

Turning his head, Luffy noticed Sanji sprawled out, his mouth slack with quiet little snores. To miss cooking two whole meals-- he must have really been exhausted. Memories of their recent conversation settled over Luffy. He felt suddenly grateful to have friends that worried about him. Luffy carefully placed his discarded quilt over the chef before turning to address the others.

"Any leftovers?" he asked with a smile. His eyes met Usopp's, before the other's gaze skittered awkwardly to the floor.

Ah, that's right. He hadn't had a chance to talk with him yet.

Well, that wasn't really true. Upset and confused, he'd purposely ignored the sniper before. Then when Usopp holed himself away on the ship, Luffy hadn't made any effort to confront him. Luffy supposed there was a lot that needed to be said between them, regarding Zoro and that day in Loguetown. But to be honest, Luffy didn't know where to start and was too tired at the moment to try.

"T-there's some biscuits I made at breakfast." Usopp slid a basket across the table as Luffy sat himself down in the seat upon which his straw hat rested. "I burnt the first batch so nobody's touched them. Maybe with some marmalade or something…." he trailed off.

Luffy grabbed one up and tossed it into his mouth, feeling it hit his empty stomach like a brick. "Thanks," he nodded.

"N-no problem." Usopp wrung his hands nervously as he shifted from foot to foot, looking anywhere but at his captain. "Um, whoa--would you look at the time?" the sniper suddenly called out. "I'd better track down Franky before he decides to add on a second floor or something. Uh, see ya!" Whirling around, Usopp hastily fled the scene, tripping over chairs and leaving a small trail of destruction in his wake.

"Franky has spent the morning building on to the house," Brook said by way of explanation. "Yoho-oh? What's this?" he leaned over and came back up with something held in his long, bony hand. It was a brown book, large in width but thin of pages. "Usopp must have dropped it. I should check to see that it's not important." He began leafing through the pages.

"Ah. I see." Luffy watched Brook's expressionless face become even more so. The skeleton was suddenly handling the book with hands much more gentle than a moment before. The jovial swordsman's demeanor became melancholy.

"That's his sketchbook, right?" Luffy watched the object with guarded eyes as his hands shoved the remaining biscuits in his mouth with automatic motions.

"It is."

Luffy swallowed past a suddenly dry throat and held out his hand. "Let me see."

Brook hesitated a moment before passing the book across the table. Luffy flipped open the creased and dirty cover, unveiling their world as seen by Usopp's artistic eyes. Page after page unfolded tales of Merry and Kaya, Nami and Chopper, the Brave Captain Usopp and all the rest. Everyday scenes were captured forever in graphite, times that were happy and crazy and filled with life. Luffy smiled as he looked at them.

Something had happened to the middle of the book. A large section had been torn out, leaving only a thick strip of serrated paper near the spine. Only some giant flux of emotion would cause the sniper to destroy his creations, but dwelling on it wouldn't give Luffy any answers so he shrugged the matter off and flipped to the next page. Luffy froze at the image, his smile fracturing.

From the vellum pages, Zoro stared back at him.

Zoro leaned against the railing, gazing at something off the page, a tranquil expression gracing his normally stern features. With an expert hand Usopp had rendered invisible touch of the wind as it tossed about the swordsman's short hair and caused his open shirt to flutter away from his chest. Every detail of the background was carefully filled in, showing Zoro's position on the ship as surely as if drawn on a map. Just a little ways off was Luffy's well-worn perch atop Sunny's lion head. Staring at the image, something bittersweet hitched in Luffy's chest as he realized exactly to where (and whom) Zoro had been looking.

"He was an amazing individual, was he not?" Brook's gentle words broke in to his captain's thoughts.

Luffy cleared his throat. "Yeah. He was."

"I was always a little intimidated by him," Brook went on with a light chuckle as Luffy turned the page, revealing more and more sketches of his lost mate. "He never gave me a reason to be, but something about him… he was just larger than life, I suppose. I felt very small standing next to him."

"He was already famous in this ocean, when I first started out." Luffy smiled as nostalgia gripped him. "Everyone recognized him wherever we went. The demon swordsman, Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro. I was so happy when I finally got my first bounty; it felt as though I was finally worthy to be his captain. I mean, Zoro was gonna be the best; there was no way I could be anything but that as well." Dropping the book, Luffy suddenly leaned against the table as if exhausted and covered his face with his hands.

"I wasn't strong enough, Brook," he said in a choked whisper. "Every time --every damn time he needed me-- I wasn't strong enough. He was always getting hurt trying to protect me, nearly killing himself just to pick up my slack. And now he's gone for good and it's all my fault."

"That isn't so Luffy--"

"Isn't it?" Luffy's eyes blazed between his parted fingers. "Tell me to my face that Zoro didn't almost die in Thriller Bark because of me? Everyone tried to hide it. No one would ever tell me what went on: Sanji knew-- and Robin, I think. But I saw that Bear-guy's face when we went up against him again; I saw Zoro's. There was something between them besides the battle."

Brook was silent, uncertain of what to say and unwilling to admit that he too held some of the answers the man was seeking.

Luffy stared at his hands. "I don't know what all happened back then, but I _know _it was because of me that Zoro got hurt. And that Flamingo bastard!" his voice choked on the more recent memory. "He hurt Zoro just to get to me, to prove that he could. Even now that I'm the Pirate King…." Luffy's hands clenched into fists, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"How?" he asked wearily. "How could you watch all your comrades die and still keep on going? They were important to you, right? How could you live after that? After losing everything?" he words ended in a broken and angry demand.

Brook jaw clenched for a moment, feeling angry that his new captain would question his feelings towards his old comrades. He soon relaxed however, when it became apparent that Luffy was asking those last questions of himself. Brook sighed softly. Lowering his head, his empty sockets stared at the worn table under his arms. He thought Luffy's question over carefully as he slowly twisted the gold ring around his bony forefinger.

"And If I had died?" he answered finally, softly. "Who would've be left to remember them? Not a day passes that I don't see their faces and miss their indomitable presence, but they wouldn't have wanted me to suffer over their deaths. I had gotten a second chance. I could live on, and enjoy everything that they no longer could. What would they have thought of me if I had given up on all of that? On life?"

Luffy was silent, his expression thoughtful.

"And how about Zoro?" Brook suddenly pressed, wanting to break his captain out of this cycle of dark thoughts. It had sounded as if he were angry with himself for continuing on after Zoro's death. But, if Luffy were seriously thinking about giving up….

"Could you really throw away something he fought so hard to save?" he demanded, his tone hard and rebuking.

"No." Luffy said quickly, his eyes dark but resolute. "I couldn't do that. Not to him."

"You see? I didn't have a choice, yohoho!" Brook's voice turned light-hearted as his teeth shined in a parody of a grin. "Besides, I have new friends now. They can never replace those I have lost, but they are still just as dear to me. I wish to share my happiness of living with them."

Luffy stared at the skeleton for a long moment, before giving him a tiny but genuine smile. "You know, you're smarter than you look."

"How funny is that, since I don't have a brain?" Brook laughed, and the other joined in and the darkness around them was banished.

Feeling worlds better, Luffy continued to flip through the sketchbook. Staring at all the drawings, Luffy knew there was no way he could keep himself from forgiving their creator. Whatever Usopp's part in the swordsman's death, it was clear that few grieved more for his loss. Luffy made a note to stop postponing that talk with him.

Each page of the book unveiled a new Zoro. A sleepy Zoro, a grumpy Zoro, A Zoro that struck a manly pose, because if he was going to be sealed in wax forever he was going to be damn sure he looked good in it. Luffy smiled, though his eyes felt a little watery. These were all memories of Zoro; Luffy himself had a million of them. Like the sketchbook, his mind had captured each one and stored them carefully away. And Luffy swore to himself he'd never forget even a single one.

But what about everyone else? What could he do to make sure nobody forgot Zoro? Luffy pondered this, an idea already beginning to tickle at his brain. Something about that one little sketch in the corner…

"Umm, Luffy?" Brook spoke up tentatively, breaking into the other's musings.

"Hm?"

"…" There was a long pause before the skeleton could bring himself to speak. "You and Zoro…" he cleared his throat. "You were--?"

Luffy looked up swiftly, his fingers tightening around Usopp's book.

"Ah," Brook leaned back suddenly and waved him away. "Never mind."

A dead silence filled the room as Luffy's gaze lowered once more. Brook shifted uncomfortably. He drummed his fingers on the table cursing his curiosity and wondering if maybe he should make his leave. To his surprise, Luffy answered him.

"Yes." The single word came out firm and clear, as if this were the very first time Luffy had spoken it. His eyes shone with a newly flickering light.

Nonplussed and a little humbled, Brook could only stare at his captain.

"Oh," he said finally.

Luffy closed the sketchbook, seeming to come to some sort of resolution. The chair scraped against the floor as he rose to his feet. Settling his straw hat upon his head, he tucked the sketchbook under his arm.

"Tell Usopp I'm borrowing this for a bit."

"Ah, yes. I will be sure to."

Luffy nodded and headed for the door. "I'm heading over to the ship." He stopped for a second, turning halfway around. "Thanks, Brook."

"You are most welcome, Luffy."

Luffy smiled.

It wasn't his normal smile, lighthearted and carefree. That smile had died with Zoro. But this new smile had been born from the ashes of grief and heartache and healing. It seemed more meaningful than the smile of old, and was more precious as it was given less freely. Watching him, Brook felt the tension he'd been carrying in his bones diminish. Luffy would continue on, older perhaps, but still himself. No matter what the future may bring.

warmth

"See the valley between those two peaks? There: at the base of the tallest drum-top? That is Bighorn, our capital." Gazelle stated as he gave Sara a palm-full of grain.

"And a damn welcome sight it is," Shanks replied, huddling miserably into his leather cloak. The wind was a constant buffet of bitter cold that pierced even the thickest of clothes.

Their sled had stopped at the crest of a particularly rough slope, giving the yak pulling them a much-needed chance to recoup. The beast looked about spent, giving Shanks a sliver of guilt for dragging it away from a warm manger and a trough full of feed. Gazelle loosened the beasts harness then told the pirates to wait near the sled while he moved into the trees to take care of some 'personal business'.

"Here," Ben appeared at the redhead's side, handing him a small silver flask. "Warm your insides a bit."

"Thanks," Shanks muttered, taking a healthy swig of the spirits and seeming instantly better for it.

"I swear, Ben," he began, his voice pitched to carry over the wind. "After this, it's nothing but summer islands for us. Warm water, tropical beaches, fruity drinks with little umbrellas…clothing optional policies…."

Ben moved closer to his captain, standing against him both to block some of the wind and to impart his share of body-heat onto the smaller man. "I'd just as soon forget that last," he said dryly. "Most of your crew is an ugly lot."

"They would cry to hear you say that!" Shanks tried hard to sound affronted.

The two chuckled for a moment before falling into companionable silence. The sun shone directly overhead, giving light but little warmth. The land spread out before them in folds of white snow and green forests and blue-grey mountain slopes. This country was a breathing thing, crisp and alive. The beauty of it wasn't lost on the two men, despite the urgency of their mission.

"How is he?" Shanks asked in a conversational tone, as he tilted his head to rest against his First Mate's back.

"No change." There was a pause as Ben lit up a cigarette. "I don't know whether to take that as good or bad, though."

"He still breathes, don't he? That's definitely a mark to the good. Whatever Hawk Eyes did to him seems to have done the trick, at least for now."

"Do you really think these guys can help him?"

"They're the best there is," said Shanks. "If they can't fix him, there's little hope."

The silence that fell was more somber than before.

"They'll make him right," Shanks stated decisively. "A strong lad like him won't go down so easily. Too stupid to give up, you see."

Ben smiled around his smoke. "You're probably right."

"We're ready to set out again," Gazelle called out, appearing out of the trees. "Sara has gotten her second wind."

The yak mooed in agreement.

Shanks took a second swig of Ben's flask as the other took a final hit from his cigarette. Together the two made their way towards the skid. Ben raised his brow as Shanks leapt gracefully into the back of the sled, giving him the seat up front.

Seeing the look, Shanks grimaced. "Sara smells like a mixture of wet dog and old cheese," he complained.

Ben smirked. "You just want to get out of the wind."

An embarrassed laugh. "You caught me."

"You owe me," Ben sighed, eyeing down their guide who, once over the fact that the pirates had threatened their way past protocol, had been talking almost nonstop about the wonders of his country. "I'm not much of a conversationalist."

"Ah, but you're such a good listener!"

Ben gave him a look. Shanks waved his hands in supplication.

"Fine, fine, I'll make it up to you! Name your price."

Ben smirked, knowing what his captain was thinking but refusing to be baited. "You have to buy yourself some warmer clothes once we reach town," he pronounced. "Your glib tongue will do us no good frozen solid."

Shanks gave a pained smile at the destruction of his carefully crafted, suave image. "Fine, fine…" he muttered.

Ben's smirk widened.

bronze

Luffy stepped into the boy's cabin, which was dark and cool compared to summer heat outside. He moved across the room with a purpose, bypassing the piles of junk and dirty clothes, stepping past the trunk of Zoro's things and the bunks where they had slept. None of that registered to the young man as he went about his self-imposed mission.

His ultimate destination was the third compartment in the row of lockers set against the far wall. Setting Usopp's sketchbook safely on the top, Luffy opened his locker and began digging around. Various objects of varying preciousness were tossed across the room without care before the rubber-man found the object in which he sought. He dragged it out, the weight of it causing him to unbalance and fall on his rear.

Luffy stared at the item intently. It was a Skypeia Melon, hollowed out and as hard as a rock. It was also completely filled with beli. A small cork in the bottom was the only way inside. Luffy held the gourd, weighing it thoughtfully and speculating if the amount inside would be enough for what he had in mind.

From as long as he could remember, Luffy had always had a certain view about how things would be done once he became a famous pirate. Top among those things was the burning need to have his likeness cast in bronze. Everyone great had their own bronze statue; Luffy had been determined not to be any different. However, Nami had consistently refused Luffy's demands for one, stating that gold was worth more than bronze, thus not worth spending their (her) precious money on.

So (per Zoro's suggestion) Luffy began squirreling some away, beli by beli, until he had what he had judged to be enough to buy the one thing that he had so desperately wanted.

Except now his wish had changed. Now, it wasn't himself Luffy wanted to see captured forever in bronze.

No one would forget how great Zoro as long as Luffy had anything to say about it.

Jumping to his feet, Luffy held the melon-bank against his hip and grabbed up Usopp's sketchbook. He now had the idea and the money; all that remained was to findthe means. And Luffy would hit every dinky village on this island if that were what it took to find the right person for the job.

Impatient to get started, Luffy took off in search of a sculptor.

capital

Hunger was gnawing at their bellies by the time the over-burdened yak plodded into Drum Island's (now know as the Sakura Kingdom) capital. It was mid-afternoon and the town was bustling-- from the west end farmer's markets to the east side's military training yard. Children strayed underfoot, playing pirates and marines and whining when their mothers ordered them to shovel the snow away from their front doors. But, as busy as it was, the town was rather small, making it a strange locale to be named the capital city.

The villagers gave the newcomers a few short, curious glances, but ignored them on the whole as they busied themselves with their work. Apparently Gazelle was too busy pampering his tired yak to pay them any further mind. Without so much as a point in the right direction, the guard unhitched Sara and led her away to the stables.

Shanks crawled out from the wooden skiff, stretching his cramped and stiff limbs with relief. He shivered once, feeling as if the cold had seeped into his very bones. Mayhap Ben was right in ordering him into some warmer clothes. He favored his thin, white shirt with a rueful look.

Ben appeared at his side, knocking snow from his broad shoulders. "So where's the castle?"

"I believe it's right here," Shanks said, bemusedly. He turned his head and squinted at the squat building standing before them.

It was an ordinary house, indistinguishable from all the others. A small wooden placard on the door advertised that the building was indeed home to the Esteemed Lord Dalton, king and benevolent ruler of the Sakura Kingdom.

"You can't be serious," Ben muttered.

"Very salt-of-the-earth, don't you think?" Shanks gave a little grin and then shrugged. "Well, shall we knock or just walk right in?"

"Be nice," Ben warned. "We're here to ask a favor."

"Knocking, then?"

Ben slapped the other's shoulder. "You go charm our homely king; I'll stay out here with the boy."

"Yes, yes…" Shanks finger combed his tousled red hair and flung back his cloak, before opening the door with a cheerful 'hallo!' and disappearing inside.

Ben rubbed his head in exasperation. "And in the end, he walks right in." He sat himself down on the back of the sled, pulled out a smoke and settled in to wait.

"Does _your_ captain give you this much of a headache?" he asked the unconscious swordsman behind him, lighting up his cigarette and sighing smoke into the air.

dalton

"Hallo!" Shanks stepped over the threshold, peering into the building's dim interior. The front of the house was empty, bearing only a large wooden table and a handful of deserted chairs. A tidy stack of papers littered the corner. Snooping, Shanks found them to be various businesses of state and mundane civilian requests. A half-cup of coffee sat nearby, long gone cold.

"Hallo!" Shanks repeated himself a bit louder as he wandered further into the house. "Anybody in?"

"In the back!" a deep voice called back.

Eyebrows raised, Shanks moved towards the voice, which led him to a homely little kitchen located in the back of the home. There he found a giant of a man perched on a tiny stool, holding a trowel and diligently plastering the cracks on the outside wall. He was built like an ox, but the face that peered up at Shanks appeared passive and the eyes held a look of guarded friendliness. Still, Shanks felt there was a fierceness lurking just below the surface of the man's placidity.

"Lord Dalton, I gather?"

The man nodded. "You're a new face," he said, studying the redhead. "My hands are full at the moment, so please forgive me for the lack of a proper introduction."

"Oh, don't be troubling yourself on my account," Shanks replied cordially.

"What business brings you?

Shanks looked around. "No guards, no servants…not so much as a court jester. A bit odd for a king."

Dalton laughed. "And where would they stand? My home is too small for such customs."

Smiling, Shanks agreed. "Still, it's a bit dangerous to let just anyone in your home like this. You don't know me from Mr. Jones, after all."

An odd glint appeared in the man's eyes, taking Shanks aback somewhat. "We're not as laid back as you think," his deep voice spoke almost teasingly. "A messenger bird flew in over an hour ago informing us of your arrival, Emperor Shanks of the Red Hair Pirates."

Confused for only a moment, Shanks suddenly flashed back to Gazelle's abrupt disappearance during their little rest stop. There must have been an aviary just beyond the trees. No doubt the custom's officer had planned the stop from the very beginning.

"That yak-lover!" Shanks exclaimed ruefully. _Personal business indeed…._

Dalton took on a more serious mien. "He said your mission was urgent."

"Aye," Shanks expression turned somber. "I've a young man who's been terribly injured, and has lain on the brink of death for some time. Your island was the only around on which to get help. It's only by force of will that the lad still breathes; if your famous doctors can't save him, he'll be lost to us."

"Only five of the Isshin Twenty stay here in the capital; the rest are scattered about the island in order to quickly respond to any need upon the island."

"If they are as good as is said, five should be enough." Shanks said with optimism (all the while sincerely hoping he was right).

Dalton nodded and put his tools aside. "I'll summon them at once. In the meantime, why don't I help you bring your man in out of the cold?"

"Much obliged, your highness." The pirate extended his hand in thanks. The king's hand fairly engulfed his own.

With Shanks in the lead, the two headed outside where Ben was waiting with their unconscious cargo. Dalton paused for a moment to wave somebody over. What Shanks had taken for a simple farmer had turned out to be the town's Captain of the Guard. The redhead shook his head ruefully. A few quiet words and the man-at-arms was dashing down the street posthaste.

Ben rose to his feet as the two approached, his eyes silently asking his captain how well his cheeky brand of diplomacy had worked. Shanks favored him with an easy grin.

"His highness is giving us a much needed extra arm to pull the lad inside 'til the good doctors can be fetched."

He watched as Ben relaxed slightly. The taller man nodded and stubbed out his cigarette before dragging Zoro's litter to the edge of the sled. From there he and Dalton hefted the man up and maneuvered him around and into in house with ease, setting him on the sturdy table at the fore of the room. Dalton went about lighting various lamps to increase the room's illumination, while Ben strove to untangle Zoro from his nest of protective blankets.

"Please have a seat," the king said as he came back around. "The doctors should be here before long." Looking down at Zoro, of whom Ben had just successfully uncovered, Dalton suddenly went pale with shock.

"I know this man."

Shanks --who was just making himself comfortable in one of the chairs-- looked up indolently. "Well, yes, he's world famous and all…"

"No!" Dalton stood over Zoro with such an intense expression on his face that it made Shanks sit up straight and even had Ben freezing midway into his seat. "I have met this man before! He is one of which helped free this kingdom from the tyranny of Wapol. He is the swordsman under Straw Hat Luffy. They are heroes in our country!"

"Well, I'll be." Shanks leaned back again, looking impressed despite himself. His eye met Ben's across the table.

"Those brats certainly got around, didn't they?" his First shook his head in wonder.

prognosis

Less than fifteen minutes had passed when Dalton ushered in the four men holding black cases and wearing protective masks across their faces. (Apparently the fifth was performing an emergency surgery to help along the birth of two particularly robust twins.) The doctors loomed tall and ghostly in their thin, white garments, their eyes staring out piercingly from their faces.

The men didn't even give anyone else so much as a glance as they descended on Zoro live vultures moving in on a fresh carcass. Shanks tried to dismiss the image as he chewed thoughtfully on a nail.

He and Dalton watched the quartet of doctors go about their work with chilling and emotionless precision. Feeling a little claustrophobic, Ben paced back and forth in the next room, his ears tuned to catch every word of the medical jargon that was currently being lost on his less-learned captain.

"What do we have here?"

"Two penetrating wounds in the upper chest. They look to be through and through."

"How on earth is he still alive, then?"

"That doesn't matter. Our job is to keep him that way."

"He's right. Let's break things down one thing at a time. Start the patient on fluids."

"The patient apparently suffered from pnuemothorax of the right lung. However, it seems to have been sufficiently treated."

Ben took a moment to congratulate himself on his rudimentary medical skills.

"Remove the tubing and stitch it up then. How's the left side?"

"Muffled heartbeat, distended veins…there are all the signs of a cardiac tamponade."

Shanks broke in. "And what is that, may I ask?"

He was ignored.

"It's blood that collects around the heart," Ben called out after seeing that the good doctors weren't seeing fit to speak up. "Essentially suffocating it." The older man cursed. Why hadn't he recognized the signs himself?

"And how do you fix something like that?" Shanks called back, his voice intentionally pitched louder than needed just to be irritating.

"Draining the pericardial sac now," one of the doctors said. Ben heard Shanks suck in a horrified breath.

"Dear god! Surely you're not gonna stab the lad in the chest with that massive thing! I—bloody hell! You did!"

It was a well-known fact that Shanks hated needles.

Ben's fingers twitched, wishing for a smoke but –knowing how doctors were— didn't want to be kicked out of the building. He distracted himself by examining Dalton's collection of scrimshaw bison sitting on the mantle above the fireplace. Moments later, Shanks stood at his side, alternating between shuddering and wincing in sympathy. Ben couldn't help but smirk, and earned a shriveling glare for it.

There was a sharp exclamation of surprise from the other room. The two rushed to the doorway.

"What's the meaning of this? These wounds are physically impossible."

"What do you mean?" Shanks asked.

This time he wasn't ignored.

"We reopened the left wound and went in to be sure there wasn't further damage. The ribs took some damage but should heal without trouble. But, you can see by the location of the wound that there should be some severe trauma to the heart and left lung, but neither of them have so much as a scratch! There's only some slight bruising. By all rights, this man shouldn't even be alive!"

Pirates and doctors stared at one another.

"A devil's fruit?"

Ben shook his head in negative.

"A miracle then?" Dalton offered.

"We're men of science, my Lord."

Shanks sighed in impatience and entered the room. "Well, as you can see gentlemen, by whatever powers were involved, the boy lays breathing in front of you. What I want to know is if that little but important fact is likely to continue."

The doctors huddled together over Zoro to confer for a moment. A long string of low mumbles followed. One of the heads suddenly popped up.

"How long has he born these wounds?"

"About a month," Ben answered with a growing frown.

The head rejoined the others and more of the muffled discussion was heard. Finally, when Ben felt like going in there and ripping them apart, the doctors separated. Turning as one, they faced the pirates.

"His wounds are treated and he is no longer in danger of dying but…"

By now even Shanks' face was showing the tension.

"But?"

"But, going by the obvious trauma his body incurred and the length of time these injuries have gone essentially untreated, we have doubts that the patient will ever awaken. He may stay comatose for the rest of his life."

Silence followed the grim prognosis. Ben's fists clenched, his expression dark. Shanks put a hand consolingly on his arm before turning to address the faceless doctors.

"Yes, well, that life didn't seem to be lasting so long just a few minutes ago. So you'll pardon us if we ask for a second—err…fifth opinion," he amended smoothly.

"I assure you--"

Shanks held his hand up. "Not that I question your medical expertise; just that you're not dealing with any ordinary patient." He turned to Dalton. "Can we have your help in this, your highness?"

One of the doctors stepped forward. "It's useless!" he said with no little amount of exasperation. "The other Isshin would come to the same diagnosis. I'm sorry but there is nothing more that can be done.

Dalton waved the man back, some sort of idea crossing visibly over his face.

"All is not lost," he said in his deep baritone. "Doctor Kureha lives in the castle on top of the mountain."

"The witch!?" One of the doctors burst out, sounding aghast. He quickly cowered back as his king's face hardened.

"She might be called a witch, but I've seen her fix what no one else could." Dalton turned to Shanks. "I will go there personally and ask her to come look at him."

Shanks scratched at his chin. "Sounds time consuming," he said. "Why don't we just bring the lad up to her?"

Dalton stared hard down at Zoro, whose face was flushed with color and was breathing much easier than when he was first brought in. "She's not one for unexpected visitors…"

The big man gave a sudden, small smile.

"But I'd have to think in this case she'd make an exception."

witch

It was a long and uncomfortable ride up a gondola to reach the top of the drum where the castle loomed over the valley. The freezing wind buffeted them, making the gondola sway incessantly. It made ominous creaking noises that were alarming once one thought about how high up they were.

Frost formed under their noses and cracked around their mouths, making them bleed and freeze in turn. Dalton and Ben's gloved hands had long frozen around the handles of Zoro's stretcher; they couldn't have let go even if they'd wanted to. Shanks huddled on the floor, out of the worst of the wind, and where he could keep a direct eye on Zoro's condition. The swordsman was silent and still in the midst of the discomfort, swaddled once more in a web of blankets.

There was, however, a small bright spot to be taken from the nightmarish trip. Shanks, whose penchant for open-chested shirts bordered on legendary, was bundled up in a garishly-orange turtleneck sweater, thick cloak and fur-lined boots. Completing the outfit was a knitted hat (complete with puffball) and a matching set of mittens. Ben had taken one look at him and was unable to smother his grin. That one fact kept enough warmth in him to endure the hellish trip.

It took nearly and hour to reach the summit; by then it was all the men could do to get their stiff and frozen legs to move as they floundered through the piles of snow towards the castle entrance. The doors were barred shut, and it was a long fifteen minutes' wait after Shanks rang the bell until a voice was heard on the other side.

"Who is it?" a female's voice demanded churlishly.

"It's me." Dalton was quick to reply.

"Dalton?" the door didn't budge. "What do you want? I'm busy."

Shanks opened his mouth to speak up but Dalton's eyes warned him into silence.

"I've got a young man here that needs your assistance," the larger man called out, his deep voice cutting though even the howling wind.

"You've got twenty other doctors at your beck and call," the voice sounded bored. "Have one of them play nursemaid."

"The Isshin have already seen him. There was nothing more they could do."

"Then I'll be sure to give the boy a prayer."

Dalton's face was stricken. Shanks was impressed by the lengths the leader would go to help Zoro. _Those kids really must have made an impression here,_ he thought. Dalton's forehead fell to rest against the heavy oaken doors, his voice raised in one final plea.

"Please, Doctor Kureha; this is something only your skills can overcome."

Silence.

"Please," he repeated.

The sound of a bolt being drawn caused the men's hearts to leap with hope. The giant doors swung inward, revealing a willow thin silhouette standing behind them. Doctor Kureha tossed her long, gray hair agitatedly, her belly ring twinkling in the sunlight.

"You've become a shameless flatterer since becoming king. Very well, I'll take a look at him. I'm not promising anything, though," she warned.

"Thank you," spoke Shanks.

"Who're your friends?" Doctorine raised a wrinkled brow as she motioned them through the entrance.

"Friends of the injured."

Her eyes moved over Ben to rest on Shanks. "They're terrible dressers."

Shanks groaned.

"So what's wrong with him that your precious doctors couldn't fix?"

"He'd been stabbed," Ben offered. "And now he's in a coma."

"Hn…" Kureha took a deep pull from the bottle tucked under her arm and then peered down at her new patient. She suddenly squinted and cocked her head to the side.

"This guy seems familiar. Have I kicked his ass before?"

Shanks choked suddenly and set his First an incredulous glance. Ben shrugged slightly while Dalton, appearing unphased, answered.

"He is Roronoa Zoro; the number two of Strawhat Luffy's crew."

"Strawhat?" The woman got a strange gleam to her eye. She looked long and hard down at the swordsman. "Yes, I see…" she muttered.

"Haha!" Kureha laughed suddenly, sounding like the harsh bleating of a goat. She tossed back the last of her drink and threw the bottle over her shoulder, where it crashed to the floor. "You've caught me in a good mood. Fear not, this man will not die today."

Reaching down her shirt, the witch pulled out a metal flask: not so different from the one Ben had given to Shanks hours before. Holding the bottle carefully away from her face, she popped open the seal and a noxious green smoke spilled out. She gave a frightening looking grin and whirled around to Zoro, pinching his nose shut and pouring the entire contents down his open throat.

Zoro suddenly bolted upright, choking and gasping. The unexpected movement nearly tipped him out of the stretcher, and it was only Ben and Dalton's quick reflexes that kept him from tumbling to the floor.

It was only a second later that the pain must have set in, because Zoro fell back with a moan. He lay prone on the cot, panting heavily. His face was twisted in a grimace and his eyes were foggy but he was most definitely awake. They had gotten their miracle.

"Amazing!" Shanks whistled, peering down at the swordsman with curiosity. "What on earth did you give him?"

Kureha smirked as she examined her fingernails, the other hand tucking the vial back from where it came. "Just a little hot mustard, bitterberry extract, eel slime, fuzzy fungus and pureed yak liver-- raw of course."

"Is any of that actually medicine?" Shanks asked, turning a bit green.

"Nope, but it did the trick, didn't it?" the witch cackled.

"He's the second man I've cured with that little trick." The old woman stared intently down at the swordsman. "Like this one's captain, that man was also touched by the will of D."

Shanks' face suddenly lost all color. "What happened to him?" he demanded suddenly. "Where is that man now?"

Kureha regarded the redhead for a moment before shrugging impassively.

"Who knows? The damn narcoleptic was a firebug who could have brought my whole castle down around my ears, so I kicked his ass out."

"Did he say where he was going?" Ben asked slowly, observing Shanks' intense expression.

"I don't know. North or some such," she huffed irritably. "Well, you gonna just stand there or are you gonna get that boy out of my doorway and into a bed?" she demanded.

awake

Zoro was coherent by the time they got him settled in. Kureha was mixing up some medicinal broth for the injured swordsman, while Dalton had gone with Ben to beg the doctor for some scraps, as the Red-Hair pirates hadn't eaten since early on the night before. Shanks remained with Zoro, reclining in the bed across from him and watching the young man with thoughtful eyes.

"I'm alive?" Zoro croaked out finally after minutes of blinking up at the ceiling.

"I guess you are," Shanks mused. "Though even the best doctors in the Grand Line thought you were as good as dead. You're quiet the stubborn one, I have to say."

Zoro spent the next few minutes breathing before turning his head to stare at the redhead.

"The others…" he licked at his cracked lips. "Are they okay?"

"I think okay is a rather relative term. But they escaped, and they're alive."

Another silence fell as Zoro absorbed this information. He looked around the room with a vaguely dazed expression.

"I think I know this place."

"Oh?" Shanks rested his chin on his hand. "Been here before have you?"

"Yeah…" Zoro had to pause a few times between words, his voice hoarse and broken and unused. "Nami was sick… there was this scary old witch--"

A shadow suddenly loomed behind them.

"Who is calling this far, far too young maiden 'old'?" Kureha demanded.

"It's her!" Zoro choked.

"You want the secret of my youth?"

A bewildered silence followed her question. Sighing, Kureha slammed a metal cup on the bed-stand next to Zoro's head. "Here: drink this. It tastes like shit, but I don't want any complaints. And you," she fixed an eye on Shanks. "Get your shoes off the bed."

The contents of the cup hissed and bubbled. Zoro tried hard to glare at the cup suspiciously, but he was just too weak. Shanks was sincerely glad that he wasn't in the other's shoes.

"I'm not drinking that stuff," the swordsman muttered stubbornly when the witch left.

"You should be kind, Zoro. That lovely lady saved your life."

"So, you know my name."

Shanks smiled, his feet now kicked off the edge of the mattress. "I'd have to be a fair bit out of the loop to not have heard of the greatest swordsman in the world. Besides," " he added, his mind flashing to a certain someone that was currently diminishing his supply of alcohol. "I have a friend that often speaks of you."

"You--" Zoro began.

"Ah! I haven't even introduced myself!" the redhead swung himself into a sitting position. "You were off fighting Mihawk when our two crews met. I'm--"

"Red-Hair Shanks."

"You recognize me then."

"…The hair gives it away."

"Ha." Shanks barked. "I suppose you're right."

Zoro reached a shaky hand up to rub his face, exhaustion, and something more, creasing his features. Shanks regarded him kindly before rising to his feet.

"You've been through quite a row," he said gently. "T'would be best if you slept it off. After you finish your medicine, that is. The doctor lady seems like no person _I_ would cross."

"Shanks," Zoro called out weakly as the redhead headed toward the door. "Did he--" His voice failed him for a second. "Did he say anything?"

Even though the swordsman couldn't see it, Shanks' eyes were dark and somber. "We separated during the fight," he answered after a moment of reflection. "I reckon he don't even know you're a breathing man."

Zoro closed his eyes, taking in a shallow, weary breath.

"Good…" he whispered.

tbc


	10. Chapter 10

_Title:_ Final Betrayal_  
Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Alternate Timeline. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_ Spoilers span up to and possibly beyond the Thriller Bark arc. **Do not** **read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes:_ A shorter chapter, but out faster so it balances out. This chapter is for drakyrna, who draws such lovely fanart to help get my creative juices flowing. Only two more chapters left to go, three at the most. I'm getting excited, people. Are you?

Final Betrayal – Chapter 10

fear

"Delivery," Ben called out as he rapped on the doorframe of the small windowless room hidden deep inside Kuraha's castle.

Thick tapestries hung on the wall, blocking much of the draft, and a fire burned strong in the grate in the corner. In the center of the room a fur pelt of some large animal lay as a rug against the freezing floor. Along one wall stretched a bed. The figure in it stirred and two bleary eyes soon peered at him from in-between a mound of blankets and matted, green tufts of hair. Ben's lips twitched in amusement. The world's number one swordsman looked like little more than a bratty kid in his bedridden state. Acted like a brat too.

Zoro took one look at the metal cup in the older man's hand and groaned. "If my wounds don't kill me, that shit that witch calls medicine will," he said. He lay there, grumbling and helpless, as the cup was put to his lips.

"Don't make me force you again," Ben warned, fighting to keep the smirk from his face. This had become a ritual of sorts.

Zoro gave him a dark look before snatching the cup away. Too weak to sit up, he let Ben adjust his pillows so he was in a better position to drink. The smell of the stuff wafted up, turning his stomach.

"Where's Shanks?" Zoro asked, stalling. "I haven't seen him in a couple of days."

"He took some of the boys and left," Ben replied, settling himself down on the end of the swordsman's bed.

It had taken little time for the two to get comfortable around one another. As Ben had first supposed, they really were kindred spirits of a sort. They enjoyed an easy camaraderie, like they had known each other for years.

"So suddenly?" Zoro's eyebrows rose above the dreaded cup.

"He's looking into the whereabouts of a certain person," Ben said, thinking back to the witch's revelation when they had brought Zoro in. "He probably won't be back until the end of the week."

The cup clattered to the ground, the liquid inside splashing out-- hissing and spitting when it came in contact with the flagstones. Zoro had jerked upright, his injuries forgotten as he stared at Ben in growing horror.

"Not Luffy!" he choked out.

"Easy!" Ben jumped forward, physically restraining the other.

Not once since that first talk with Shanks had the boy even mentioned Luffy's name—or any of the Straw Hats, for that matter. It was like a forced amnesia; Zoro had gone from day to day as if they didn't exist, freely bantering with Ben and Shanks, scowling whenever Kureha entered the room, and nodding politely at Dalton when he came up to visit. Any time his friends' names were brought up, Zoro ignored the words like they hadn't been spoken. Their names had become a taboo that Zoro himself had just broken in his panic.

"He can't--!" Zoro gasped, his eyes wild as he pushed against Ben's hands, fighting to rise.

"Relax!" Ben shook him, lightly. "It's not Luffy he's looking for."

Zoro stared at him for a moment, then, seeing the truth in the older man's eyes, collapsed panting back onto his pillows. He lay there in silence with a face set like stone. Ben saw the way his hands were shaking, however, before Zoro shoved them under the covers and out from under the older man's gaze. Ben sat back, carding his fingers through his grey hair with a sigh.

"Damn," he muttered, looking down at the medicine splattered over the floor. "Kureha won't be happy about that." His heart rate was just now beginning to return to normal. He watched Zoro from the corner of his eye, giving the other a moment to pull himself together. When Zoro's color had returned to normal, he twisted to face him.

"You're that afraid to face him again?" Ben asked him quietly.

Zoro's reply was pained and bitter. "How can I?" he said, his eyes gazing out at nothing. Memories overcame him and his face twisted in anguish. He quickly slid an arm over his face to hide it from view. His next words came out barely audible against the crackle of the fire.

"I stole his dream."

dishonor

The next day found Zoro lying prone on the floor, after unsuccessfully trying to sneak out of bed. Gritting his teeth, he gripped the mattress and attempted to pull his uncooperative legs back underneath him, to no avail. Cursing and panting, Zoro pulled himself halfway back into bed, thinking there might have been something to Ben's words when he had told him not to push it. His chest ached and his right lung burned like fire. Sweat beaded across his forehead and soaked the blankets where his face was pressed against it.

He had survived his own execution. That had been a surprise. Shit. Everything ached.

It had been a moment's cowardice, Zoro had decided, letting those blades pierce him. The very idea of facing Luffy after saying all that stuff…

Zoro fingers twisted around his blankets, Luffy's anguished face floating clearly through his mind. Dying…dying definitely hurt less.

Except that he was alive. And he had no idea where to go from here. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't go back to the others, that was for sure. Far better that they assumed him dead. After all, they couldn't hate a dead man. Could they?

He must have blacked out after that because, the next thing he knew, he was being flipped around to stare up into two glittering yellow eyes.

Zoro felt the shock run through him like lightning. "You!"

"I persistently seem to be in the position of seeing you half-dead," Mihawk stated, as he manhandled Zoro back on the bed with an almost clinical detachment.

Zoro quickly curbed his surprise and looked away. He had dreamed about Hawk Eyes while in his coma. That dream had stood out strong and irritating against the comfortable darkness, keeping him from sinking. Zoro couldn't help but have the feeling that this man was part of the reason why he was still breathing. He cleared his throat, his face flushing.

"Nice words for a guy that put me there. Twice," he retorted, finally finding his tongue.

"Heh." Mihawk smirked before regarding the other with an arched brow.

"Two more for your collection, I see." his pale hand moved forward, smoothing the red-stained cloth of Zoro's bandages. Mihawk moved to trace the long, much older wound running from Zoro's left shoulder to his right hip. Fire seemed to travel in the wake of the man's touch. "Does this scar give you trouble?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Zoro scowled. "Of course not."

"Good to hear." The fingers trailed over to a thick, pink scar just below the navel. Zoro shifted uncomfortably. "That one looked rather serious."

"A gift from Donflamingo's puppet technique," Zoro muttered, his scowl deepening as he very pointedly didn't look at the other man or his wandering hand. He felt hotter than warranted in the chilly room.

"I see." The hand moved slowly back up Zoro's body to rest against his forehead. "You have a fever," Mihawk stated.

Zoro suddenly grabbed the hand, holding it in a tight grip and pulling it away from his overheated skin.

"Why are you here?" he demanded, angry at the huskiness of his own voice.

Even after besting the man, there was something to Mihawk that tended to make him unusually jumpy. It was as if, after being his goal for so long, the master swordsman had somehow claimed a piece of his soul. Zoro pulled himself into a sitting position, determined to face the man on something close to equal footing.

"Come to take your title back?" he asked, forcing a smirk upon his sweat-drenched face.

"Me?" Mihawk huffed out a small burst of breath in what must've been a laugh. "I'm currently retired. The only reason I'm here is because we happen to share the same nannies." His eyes suddenly turned hard and piercing. "And while Red Hair is off looking for Portgas, I thought I'd drop in to see just how betrayal has marked you."

Zoro reared back as if the words had been a physical blow-- his face quickly loosing all color despite his fever.

"I see it's left quite the scar," Mihawk said as he studied him.

Zoro's fingers twisted harshly around his blankets, nearly tearing the fabric. His head lowered, with no biting reply forthcoming. This caused Mihawk's eyes to narrow dangerously.

"I have a question for you," he said in a clipped voice, while pacing the floor beside the other's bed. "I've done some digging in my spare time. The island where you're from, it has a fairly old culture full of traditions concerning the pursuit of swordsmanship. In it one's honor is valued as much as one's skill with a swords, am I right?"

"Is that your question?" Zoro bit out, refusing to meet the man's heavy gaze.

"No. But there was a certain ritual that particularly intrigued me. Swordsman, when dishonored, would often commit seppuku: killing themselves upon their own blade. What say you on this?"

Zoro was silent a moment. When he spoke, his voice was soft, his teacher's words floating back to him through time. "Master Koshiro didn't buy into that sort of thing. He said life—it was too frail and precious a thing to throw away on something like pride."

"Wise words, I think." Mihawk nodded, as if expecting the answer. Arms crossed, he watched Zoro from the dark corners of his hawk-like eyes. "And, if you had your blade?"

"That's two questions."

"Answer me, Roronoa."

Zoro touched the small scar below his navel.

"I think I would run myself through," he said, his voice and face void of any emotion.

"I thought as much," Mihawk stepped away, anger apparent only in his tone. "It's a good thing it is not with you then. A fine sword like that shouldn't suffer for its master's dishonor."

Without another word, he left, his boots making sharp echoes across the floor. Zoro was left alone in the room, staring down at his hands with an aching chest and stinging eyes.

"My ring's gone," he suddenly noticed.

His hands clenched, echoing his heart.

healing

The weeks had passed somewhat peacefully, considering everyone involved. Robin spent most of it studying her Ponegryph rubbings, or browsing through Kaya's library. The petite blonde had given her permission to take whatever she pleased—as long as they weren't medical books. Robin would often hear her and Chopper talking in another room, where the reindeer was happily teaching everything he knew to his new apprentice. Chopper has been practically floating on air; Robin hoped Kaya had gotten accustomed to the cursing and wiggling fits. She was a delicate girl, after all.

Quite a stark contrast from their navigator, really. No wonder Nami has spent her time in Syrup alternately fidgeting and fuming. Robin's heart went out to her, though she suspected that everything would clear itself up before long. Though, to date, Usopp had consistently avoided them both. As far as Robin could tell, he's been hanging out with the ex-Usopp Pirates, who were fast threatening to become Kidd's Super Squad thanks to their newest member. Kidd was younger than the trio but, since he had _real_ pirating experience, he was fast become the idol of the youths of Syrup village. Onion has already sworn to write a book on him.

When Usopp wasn't running about desperately trying to defend his title as captain, he was being forcibly employed by their real leader. Luffy and Usopp had made up a week prior, an act that involved much blubbering and runny noses. Afterwards Luffy immediately cornered the sniper, making him draw the same picture of Zoro over and over before taking the finished product and disappearing, sometimes for hours at a time. The only other instances she'd see Luffy were at mealtimes: where he'd sit, stuffing food into his mouth while muttering over Nami's maps of East Blue.

The whole thing had Robin quite curious. But really, she was just happy to see the wounds caused by Zoro's death start to heal over. The scars would be large, but they would survive them, smiling and laughing once again.

_Derishishi…._

choices

Sanji was waiting for Usopp when the other stepped into the house. Straddling a kitchen chair, he wordlessly gestured for the sniper to sit in the seat across from him. Usopp reluctantly did as he was told, all the while staring nervously about as if he were expecting to be attacked. Grinding out his cigarette, Sanji had to give Usopp credit for his instincts.

They were alone in the expanded dining room. Franky had been called away, having quickly gotten a job repairing roofs and generally fixing up things. Brook was out playing for Laboon; the whale's happy cries could be heard even this far inland. Nami, as usual, was holed up in her room on the Thousand Sunny. And that last fact was part of the reason why Sanji had decided to ambush the sniper.

"Have you made your choice?" Sanji asked, never being one to beat about the bush.

"C-choice?" Usopp's eyes were wide with false ignorance.

"Nami. Kaya. You've been stringing them along for weeks-- I'm sick of watching it." He leaned forward, his face deadly serious. "You need to make a decision, Usopp. Because, if you keep toying with the hearts of those lovely ladies, I will slowly and personally break every bone in your shitty body."

Usopp's eyes bugged out as he stuttered around for something to say. Sanji watched him silently, not speaking a word of the vested interest he had in the matter. In Nami, who had been his first love and whom he still adored even when that love hadn't been returned-- and Kaya, who Sanji had quickly gotten to know as someone sweet and witty and refreshing as a falling snowflake. Sanji had found himself wanting to spend every free minute in the young girl's company. Sanji had plenty of experience with crushes. He recognized the signs; he was falling and falling fast. But, if he wanted a snowflake's chance in Alabasta, Usopp _had_ to cut Kaya free.

It sounded selfish, but Sanji knew more about Usopp's inner feelings than the sniper thought he let on. He saw the way his eyes trailed after Nami when she walked past. He saw the same look turn almost brotherly when turned to regard Kaya. Usopp had grown up, leaving his boyhood love behind. Now if Sanji could just get the man to realize it.

"L-look, Sanji, I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't been stringing _anyone_ along! I've just been really…busy, lately. That's all…."

"Is that so?"

Biting his lips and staring at his knees, Usopp nodded once. Sanji sighed a lit up a new cigarette.

"Sorry for bothering you then," he waved the other away dismissively. "I was just hoping—well, never mind."

"What?" Usopp suddenly leaned forward. "Hoping what?"

"It's nothing…"

"What's going on in that head of yours, Love Cook?"

_Got him,_ Sanji thought. He took in a deep draw of smoke. "Well, it's just… Nami's been pretty broken up by everything. Luffy too, as you know. I was just hoping, you know, if you were going to choose Kaya, that those two might just hook up and help each other…" Here he paused for effect. "Pick up the pieces and all." Gods, he was a louse for using his friends like this. "Never mind though. It was a stupid idea."

"You're damn right it was stupid." Usopp shot to his feet, his face dark. "Luffy would never—and Nami--!" the sniper's hands clenched. "I've gotta go." He whirled around and stomped away.

Sanji ran a hand through his hair, guilt and joy spreading through him in alternate spurts. Of course Luffy and Nami would never get together. There were a million reasons to back that fact up. He had just said it to put a tack under the sniper's ass. And it had worked.

This would probably make Kaya sad, though. Sanji frowned. He didn't want her to get hurt. He knew what a broken heart felt like. He'd make sure to stick close to her, just to see if he could help ease the pain somehow.

_Yeah, right. _Sanji laughed mirthlessly, his hand moving to cover his eyes. Shit. He really was a louse….

eavesdrop

"You're back."

"Aye."

"Found anything?"

"The trail's gone cold, but I think I have a lead. I just came back to check up on things."

Ben leaned against the wall, nodding his head towards the door beside him. "As you can see, he's in with the doctor now. He's better, but…"

"Aye, _but._" Shanks stood close to the wall as well, craning his head slightly to get a good view inside the next room.

"I no longer think his physical wounds are the ones we have to worry about. The other day—"

"Hush, Ben." Shanks put his hand out. "I want to hear this."

"Then why don't we go in?" Ben whispered, sounding slightly exasperated.

Shanks grinned. "Now where's the fun in that?"

Ben sighed.

questions

"You're fighting an infection, thus your continuing fever. It's good for you, so we'll let it ride unless your temperature gets too high."

Zoro sat up, allowing himself to be poked and prodded by the scary old witch. Kureha had torn off his bandages and removed all the stitches on his chest and back. The healing skin was an angry red, but the marks were straight and smooth, without any of the stitch-marks that characterized some of Zoro's other scars. Looking at them, he had to grudgingly admit that the witch had done a pretty good job.

After a few pokes with a needle and a liberal application of salve, the skinny woman spun away, scribbling something on a bit of paper.

"Well?" Zoro grunted, hoping at least to finally get to put some clothes on. Not that he cared much about being in the buff around people just; the castle was too damn drafty. He shivered and pulled his sheet closer about him.

Kureha was busy cleaning up her supplies, so it took her a moment to answer. "You have a weak heart," she pronounced finally, not looking at him.

Zoro didn't even blink. "Oh?" he said belatedly.

"Hmph. You don't sound surprised." The doctor stuffed her tools into her bag. "Makes sense seeing how you've been taking medicine for it."

Zoro crossed his arms, impressed despite himself. It seems the crazy quack really knew her stuff. Made sense, he supposed, considering what a good doctor Chopper was. "Up until now, at least," he clarified.

"Ha!" Kureha's head turned slightly, her sunglasses glinting in the firelight. "You think that hog piss I've been giving you was just to make you miserable?"

Zoro's eyes widened slightly before narrowing. "Since what Chopper gave me were little yellow pills: yeah."

Kureha began to cackle. "You caught me!"

Zoro rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smirk twitching on his lips. He was beginning to like this old bat. She was a serious sadist. No wonder Sanji had looked so horrified whenever Chopper had brought her name up.

Sanji…Chopper…. He hadn't meant to think of them again. Zoro's smirk faded.

"So, how did it happen?" Kureha was asking, and Zoro forced himself to pay attention. "Other than some scars you are the peak of physical perfection." Her eyebrows raised in such a way that Zoro reflexively tightened the sheet around his waist. "I bet you've never so much as suffered through a cold. What have you done to strain your heart to its very limits?"

Zoro remembered vividly a glowing orb filled with pain, exhaustion and suffering. "It was the price I paid long ago to protect something precious to me," he answered quietly.

"That's not the voice of regret." Kureha crossed her arms, regarding the other intently. "Still, you should be dead. Your heart was bruised in Loguetown; the strain on it should have been too much." One long, bony finger pressed painfully against the wound on the left side of Zoro's chest. "Never mind that. The blade that entered there pierced your flesh but not your organs. It burst out of your back from sheer momentum alone, as if it's edge had lost all sharpness." Kureha's eyes were mere slits behind her glasses. "Do you think you can explain how that happened?"

"Beats me." Zoro shrugged. "I don't recall much about that time. I remember the heat and the light and roar of the crowd and—"

_Luffy screaming._

"And?"

Zoro looked away. "And nothing."

From the other room, listening in through a crack in the door, Shanks shook his head. "Lying to his elders… I strongly suspect what that lad needs is a knock on the head from his captain. He clearly has some stupid thoughts in his head."

Ben dragged the redhead away from his espionage. "Maybe. But there's nothing to be done for it for now."

Shanks laughed darkly. "We'll see about that, now won't we?"

Ben's grip on him turned iron. "Shanks," he began, his voice deep with warning, his gaze boring into the other intently. "You can't contact Luffy yet."

Shanks just looked at him.

"You should've seen his face, Shanks! He's not ready!"

"Ben…"

"You've read the papers; you've read what happened. What he's done is plaguing him."

"Ben."

"It'd kill him to see Luffy before he's sorted himself through."

"Ben!"

"What?!" Ben backed off, his eyes looking into the other's slightly apologetic ones with a growing sense of dread.

Shanks scratched at his nose before giving his first mate a repentant smile. "Your argument's come too late."

talk

Usopp was still rubbing the throbbing knot on his head when he left the Thousand Sunny and went back inland. Whoever talked about kissing and making up being the best part of arguments was full of it. Nami hadn't exactly fallen into his arms like he'd expected. Still, judging from the fact that he was still conscious, Usopp figured he'd been forgiven.

He drew in a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. He still had one talk to take care of tonight, and he wasn't looking forward to it. His stomach clenched up as he walked with leaded feet towards Kaya's mansion.

confessions

The air was wet and clean as Kaya threw open her windows in response to the hand-full of pebbles bouncing off them moments before. The sky was that blue-black color that's only seen when the moon is full. It was a lovely evening, made lovelier by the familiar form perched in the tree across from her windowsill.

"Usopp!" she greeted him warmly. "I haven't seen you lately."

Usopp sat on his tree branch, smiling sadly. Kaya watched him for a moment, her delight fading. So, this was it. She carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You'll be leaving soon, won't you?" she said. She crossed her arms as if to ward off a chill, even though the night was warm and humid. "I can feel it."

Usopp picked at the bark beside him. "I think so. Luffy has been looking at maps every day now, and the Marines have been too quiet lately; I don't like it."

"This village is so small; surely you'd be safe here?"

But Usopp was shaking his head before she had even finished her sentence.

"The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it is for all of you. We're wanted criminals, remember? If we don't move on soon, someone will end up getting hurt." He looked up at her, finally. "And I wouldn't be able to live with that."

_I don't want to see you go,_ Kaya thought to herself. _The first time was hard enough._ Still, her lips remained sealed.

"You know," Usopp began. "I never thought I'd live long enough to come back here." he scratched his head ruefully.

Despite her determination not to cry, Kaya felt her eyes welling up. "Usopp…."

"So much has happened." Usopp continued, gesturing vaguely but with a hint of desperation—as if he _needed_ Kaya to understand. "The battles and crazy adventures and the laughter and the love—it took hold of me, just like it did my father. I guess I can't begrudge him not coming back all those years. Not after experiencing it myself."

Kaya bit the inside of her lip as she listened to him. She _did_ understand. She also understood that he wasn't telling her the full story. Something of that must have shown in her eyes, because Usopp stammered for a minute before plowing on.

"And then, Nami and I…."

There it was. The words didn't hurt her as much as she'd feared.

"And she's great! Really great, but I just couldn't commit because, well…" Usopp was staring at the tree again, picking a leaf off and slowly tearing it to pieces. Kaya felt a moment's sympathy for it. "Cause there was you—n-not that we were together or anything!" he swiftly amended. "But all this time I couldn't help but feel like I was betraying your memory somehow."

By this time, Kaya wanted nothing more than to curl up on her bed and have a good cry, but she held back. She'd show Usopp just how strong she had become. She'd lost both of her parents, had the man she trusted with her life betray and try to kill her… a little heartbreak should be nothing.

"It's okay. I understand," she said, and it sounded like somebody else's voice coming out of her mouth. "I've been expecting this to happen since the day you left this village. I'm just happy to be able to see you again. I've—" she mentally cursed her slip. Chopper had definitely helped her increase her vocabulary. "I mean-- we've all missed you."

Usopp leaned forward, almost falling off the branch as he stared at her with shiny and desperate eyes. "That's why I came back: to tell you everything. The Straw Hats… are my family now. The Sunny is my home."

Kaya's chest tightened as she listened to the words she always knew --no matter how hard she worked and studied, no matter how she told herself otherwise— that she would one day hear.

"You are still one of my important people," Usopp's voice was painfully earnest. "But I want to keep walking forward with these guys, and where we might end up is a place where you can't follow."

"Usopp…" Kaya's chin hit her chest for a moment, before rising. Her eyes were glassy and her voice slightly choked, but she didn't cry. Actually she was smiling. "You've grown up so much. You really have accomplished what you set out to do," _You make me try my best, even now._ "I'm happy for you, really." _I'm proud to be anything to you, even a friend._

"If there's anything I can ever do for you…."

Kaya's smile held true.

"Just tell me one last story," she said.

Usopp laughed weakly, while surreptitiously rubbing his eyes. "You got it."

balm

Sanji lounged against the fence along the main road, enjoying the moon and a cigarette. Nami had come to the house for dinner, looking happier than she had in a long time. It was then Sanji knew that Usopp had made his choice. So, when the long-nose stepped out after the meal, the cook excused himself and followed.

Oh, he didn't go all the way to the mansion. He was still a gentleman, after all, and he knew that whatever Usopp had to say to Kaya was between them only. And it wasn't as if Sanji planned to appear under her window afterwards, citing prose and pretending to be Romeo. He may have tried that stunt with other girls, but Kaya….

Sanji respectfully ducked into a bush, hiding from Usopp's view when the sniper walked past, his hands jammed deep into his pockets as he gave a little sniffle here and there.

"I'm proud of ya, Longnose," Sanji murmured. "You may be worthy of Nami yet."

When the coast was clear, he crawled back out, finding his sweet spot against the wood fence and staring out at the orange-tinged moon with a thoughtful expression.

Everything was beginning to settle back down. The Straw Hat's were rebuilding after the typhoon that was Zoro's death. Sanji hadn't thought it were possible, really. Never faced with the death of someone close, he honestly thought the world would simply end. He felt a bit melancholy to be proven wrong. Somehow, it didn't seem right to be able to worry about everyday things, now that the shitty marimo was gone. His heart still ached at the thought of him, but it was bearable now.

A small noise shook him out of his musings and Sanji straightened, peering into the darkness with tense shoulders. A pale figure wandered into view, robed and rumpled and audibly crying. Something twisted within Sanji, but he hid it well as he stepped forward.

"Miss Kaya?"

"Oh. Mr. Sanji," the girl looked up in surprise, before quickly drying her eyes. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I just felt like getting some air. It's a lovely night and all."

"You seem sad."

"Oh, well…maybe a little," she said.

Sanji leaned back against the fence, affecting to look casual. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Kaya stood there for a moment, hiccupping slightly as she stared at him uncertaintly. Finally, though, she moved to the cook's side. There she crouched on her heels, picking at the grass and while hiding her face in her knees.

"Usopp…." She began in a small voice.

Sanji put out his cigarette, and slid down to join her. "He broke your heart, didn't he?"

Kaya made a tiny noise to the affirmative.

They sat there in silence a moment. Kaya finally shook herself and sat up.

"I always believed he'd come back from his journey and together we'd make a life here on this island." Her eyes looked huge under the glow of the moon. "I guess I misjudged his love of the sea, and his regard for me."

Sanji risked placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Your light would never fade from his eyes," he said. "I can tell that from the way he always talks about you. You'll always be his princess, even if he grew to love a thief."

Kaya laughed softly, even as a few tears slid down her cheeks.

"Love may change over time but it never leaves us completely. Trust me, I know."

"Mr. Sanji, you?" she asked, twisting to look up at him.

Sanji's smiled ruefully. "Three times I've let my heart get broken."

"Oh my! Three?"

Sanji chuckled. "I tend to fall in love a little too easily," he admitted.

"And, was Nami one of those?" Kaya asked slowly, as if afraid the question would offend.

"Got it in one, Missy," Sanji's smile seemed a little more brittle as he pulled Kaya close in a moment of communal heartache. But the sweet scent of her hair quickly brought him to his senses, and he reluctantly pulled away.

"Ah," he stood, stretching. "This is too heavy a conversation to have without wine." He turned around and extended a hand down to Kaya. "There's no hope for it, then. I'll just have to do the gentlemanly thing and escort you home."

She took it. "Thank you, Mr. Sanji."

"Oiy, I poured my heart out back there!" he griped. "The least you can do for me is drop the honorific!"

Kaya's eyes turned into amused crescents as she smiled. "Oh, do forgive me, Sanji," she giggled. "But in return, you must call me Kaya."

"To receive such permission from a beautiful lady like you is truly an honor." He kissed her hand, making her blush.

"You are a shameless, Sanji."

"Kaya is so smart to peg me so quickly! Beauty and brains! My heart flutters!" He twirled around her, hearts in his eyes.

"Oh, you!" Kaya pushed him, her laughter echoing clearly in the night.

Sanji grinned broadly, finding a light in the darkness and clutching at it like a lifeline. Kaya's voice was like a balm on his battered heart. He found himself wanting to soak up her presence like sunshine. His heart pounded even thinking about her.

Extending his elbow, he dashingly escorted her back to her mansion. Seeing Kaya to the door, Sanji gave an exaggerated bow goodnight and then darted off into the night.

And when he was out of sight, he slumped, lighting up a cigarette with trembling fingers. He walked along the road, unmindful of where he was going as he replayed their conversation in his head.

_I did tell her,_ he thought with a sigh. _I fall in love far too easily._

edge

Kureha chugged down some wine and stared into the fire with reminiscing eyes. She had her lags propped up on the arm of her overstuffed chair while she soaked up the silence of the snowy night and the memories that it brought. Treating that green-haired boy made the doctor think of Straw Hat, who in turn made her think of the stupid son she had left in the idiot's care. She wondered where Chopper was, if he was happy, if he was safe. If he was ever gonna drop by for a visit, that ungrateful brat.

She wanted to ask the boy, but she recognized the invisible wounds lurking behind his eyes and held her tongue. Who said she didn't have tact?

Doctorine's sharp ears caught the sound of steel scrapping against stone, followed by a muffled thump. Eyes narrowing, she swung her legs about and launched to her feet. Leaving her quarters, she prowled the corridor, moving towards the brat-swordsman's room. She threw the door open.

The room was empty.

She stood in the hallway, tapping her foot as she immediately took note that three of her precious wall ornaments had gone missing from their pegs. As had her patient. It didn't take a doctor to put the pieces together. Kureha began to move again, stalking with a purpose to the opposite end of the corridor. He couldn't have gone far.

She found him a half an hour later, where he had somehow gotten up on the blasted roof.

Zoro was standing in flickering torchlight, barefoot in the snow and having somehow appropriated a pair of pants—which was a shame. He held two of the castle's ornamental swords in each hand, with a third clenched between his teeth. His face was red from cold and exertion and his breathing was strained as he forced his body into a series of movements designed improve both strength and flexibility. Watching him would have been a thing of deadly beauty, if not for the fact the stupid kid had been strictly confided to his bed. A deadly aura began emanating from the doctor.

Zoro, having sensed the killer intent, whirled around in time to knock aside a large truncheon aimed for his head.

"I didn't say you could get up," Kureha said, lifting up a spear she got from who knows where. "If you wanted to play with something sharp, you should have asked." She launched the thing.

Cursing, Zoro dodged it.

Laughing, the witch's arms suddenly contained an arsenal of weaponry, from cutlasses to morning stars to battle axes, all flung with expert aim at the swordsman.

"Ack!" Zoro ducked and weaved out of the way. "Stop, you crazy—!"

Even in his best condition, Zoro wouldn't have been able to dodge them all, due to the sheer amount flying his direction. So when a butcher knife sliced through the air too fast for him to parry, Zoro could only lift his arm up to try to block it from causing a fatal wound. The knife struck his forearm, the blade running cleanly across his skin…

…Only to slide right off.

Zoro dropped his swords. "What the hell?" He kicked at the knife, certain it must've been some sort of trick.

"So it's true," Kureha murmured, suddenly stopping her attack. She bent over and picked the knife up by the blade, showing the swordsman how easily it cut into her palm.

"What?" Zoro stared from it to his arm, confusion reigning over his features. "What's going on with me?"

"Go ask your swordsman friend," Kureha barked testily. "I'm just a doctor." She pulled out a bandage, swiftly wrapping her wound.

Zoro stepped forward, looking like he wanted to say more. But, as it happened, his eyes suddenly rolled up and he ended up falling flat on his face into the snow at the doctor's feet.

"Over-exerted yourself, did you?" she gave him a not-too-gentle kick. "That'll teach you to get out of bed before I say."

Zoro's reply was a healthy snore. Doctorine shook her head.

_What monstrous strength men have these days,_ Kureha thought to herself as she went back to her wine, her fire, and her musings. (After she'd made sure to send someone up to clean up the mess, of course) _Must be to make up for their lack of brains._

_But still, a man who can control the spirit of a blade… to make is as sharp or as dull as needed… that sure is something you don't see every day. No wonder they call this pup the Greatest._

news

Luffy ate breakfast with a voracious appetite not seen for many a week. He was even starting to snatch food off the other's plates again, humming all the while, positively thrumming with excitement. If the others were happy with this new development, it was hidden well behind their outraged cries for their pilfered bacon.

Zoro's statue would be finished tomorrow; the guy working on it had assured Luffy. Supposedly it had become his greatest masterpiece. Luffy liked the sound of that. It was hard keeping it a secret from the others, but he wanted to surprise them.

Usopp and Nami were talking to one another again, Sanji was whistling cheerfully as he cooked, Kidd and Chopper and Franky were all laughing at a skull joke Brook had made (that Robin smacked him in the head for, because she'd long ago forbidden such silliness in her presence). Things were almost back to the way they used to be. Luffy was glad for them.

As for him… well, he was living, like Zoro wanted him to. Even if real happiness still seemed out of reach, as long as there was a goal in front of his eyes, he could move forward. With his first objective nearly complete, Luffy had already set his eyes on the next. His hand lifted to briefly touch the black cloth around his left arm, his mind on the white katana stored safely on the Sunny.

"Franky?" Luffy spoke up over the din. The cyborg looked up.

"Yeah?"

"I need a boat. Can you build me one?"

"In a heartbeat, bro," Franky combed back his gravity defying hair. "How big of one do you need?"

"Something with a sail," Luffy replied. He quickly chugged down his orange juice then wiped his mouth with his arm. "Small enough that one person can make it go."

"Wait," Nami leaned forward suddenly, her hands on the table. "Where exactly are you going?"

The others fell silent, awaiting their captain's reply.

Luffy was silent for a moment, running his finger along the side of his empty glass, tracing the orange-pulp that was left against it. When he looked up, he had his new smile on: a thin line stretching across his face, with crescent eyes that hid whatever may lay behind them. This was the smile that he'd adopted since losing Zoro. This was the smile he showed his friends now.

"Shimotsuki Village."

The name was foreign to all but the original four crewmembers. Usopp suddenly found the floor fascinating. Sanji frowned around his cigarette.

"Where is that?" Chopper asked in confusion.

"Somewhere in the East Blue, I presume." Robin said.

Nami sat back, rubbing her head. She suddenly appeared very tired. She looked at Luffy.

"Why?" she asked.

"Zoro's teacher lives there." Luffy answered lightly, stretching his arm to grab the pitcher and refill his empty glass. "Zoro once talked about returning his sword to him once he'd achieved his dream."

"Is that what Luffy intends to do?" Brook wondered aloud.

"Yup." That smile again.

Nami shook herself. "But, shouldn't someone go with you?" she reasoned. "I mean, you know nothing about navigating; how will you even hope to get there?"

"I'll manage."

"But—!"

"Nami," Luffy's eyes vanished under the brim of his hat. His smile, too, disappeared, going our like a flickering candle. "I have to do this alone."

Silence fell, a direct contrast from the lively atmosphere of mere minutes before. None could argue with their captain when his voice sounded like that. The crew looked at one another, at a loss. But, gradually their faces displayed grudging acceptance. After all, if this was what Luffy had to do, they would support him on it.

The door to outside suddenly flew open and slammed against the wall with a jarring sound. Kaya came darting in, her hair flying about her wildly as she clutched at the morning paper.

"The Marines are performing an island to island search," she gasped out, her lips white. She had to stop to catch her breath, leaning against the table for support. "It says here that permission has been granted to use the Buster Call on any island found to be harboring you guys.

Shock surged through the group. Everyone but Luffy shot to their feet. Everyone began talking at once.

"What?"

"Oh, no!"

"Usopp, isn't that the thing you told me about? All those ships, with their cannons?"

"Damn it! They can't!"

"They can; we've seen them do it before."

"But--!"

Luffy stood. "It's time," he said, in a quiet voice that nevertheless grabbed the attention of everyone in the room.

"Time for what?" Sanji asked the question on all their minds.

Luffy eyed each one of them in turn, his expression frighteningly blank. The crew shivered, dread creeping up on them for no apparent reason.

"Time…to disband the Straw Hats," Luffy answered, his voice sounding like a death knell in the silence.

tbc


	11. Chapter 11

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender_  
Pairings:_ nearly gen, but with somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Alternate Timeline. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_ Spoilers span up to and possibly beyond the Thriller Bark arc. **Do not** **read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes:_ I'd like to take a minute here to thank marmaladegirl (Angela, Pirate Ryoko to those of you on ). Not only has she corrected many of my grammatical slip ups, she has veritably supported me throughout this fic, listening to my moans and rants and wild character expositions, and holding writing sessions at her apt, all the while without being much of a One Piece fan. But she's come to love Luffy and Zoro vicariously through me, and I'm very happy to have had her at my side for the year this thing has taken to complete.

Final Betrayal – Chapter 11

dissent

"Disband?" Sanji's cigarette dropped unnoticed from his mouth.

Everyone stared at Luffy, their expressions a mix of disbelief, shock and horror.

"Y-you're joking," Nami told him, giving a weak laugh.

Luffy stood amongst them, proud and stoic. "I'm not."

"Look," Kaya said as she came forward. "You guys don't have to leave. Everyone here loves you; we'll find some way to hide all of you!" Even as she said it though, her voice was quivering with fear. Usopp's stories were quite detailed, after all.

"We can't do that," Sanji said gently as he put a hand on the blonde's arm. "We'll figure out something, but we can't put this whole island, and you, at risk like that."

"This is crazy!" Usopp cried while pulling at his hair in panic. He whirled on Luffy, clutching the other's shoulders and shaking him. "Wh-what are we going to do?"

Luffy shrugged him off. "I'm going to Shimotsuki," he repeated.

There was a thud and a clatter as Kidd jumped up on the table. "You're our captain!" he shouted, his small fists clenched. "You can't just leave us!"

Luffy's was cool in the face of the boy's fury. "It's just for a little while. It won't be forever," he assured.

Kidd's fists lowered slightly. Luffy turned away, unable to take everyone staring at him with such wounded eyes.

"Look, we can't just keep running away," he explained in a low voice. "The Marines are never gonna stop chasing us. So we'll separate for a while and lay low. After I visit Zoro's teacher, I'll draw their attention, and then--" he broke off abruptly.

"And then?" Franky prompted, his gigantic arms crossing.

Luffy remained silent. His shoulders were so straight and stiff that his back could have been forged from steel. The sight of him made the others realize just whom it was standing before them. This wasn't just their friend; this was the greatest pirate on the seas. Their mouths went dry at the thought. Suddenly, Sanji broke away, stepping unheedingly in that aura of power their captain had unconsciously invoked.

"You want to get caught," he said slowly, accusingly. His eyes widened with the realization. "You want those Old Stars in front of you, don't you? To pay them back for Zoro! That's the _real_ deal, isn't that right, Captain?"

"And what if it is?" Luffy's voice was ice. "Do you have a problem with that, Sanji?"

"Hell no!" Sanji growled. He kicked at the nearest chair, sending it shooting across the room. "What I have a problem with is you not taking us with you! Don't you think we want some of that revenge too?"

Luffy turned, staring at him. His eyes were dark and somber under the shadows of his hat.

"I'm sorry, but I've made my decision."

And nothing they could say or do would change his mind. He didn't want to break them up so soon, but he had been planning for such a thing long before they landed on Usopp's home island. Those government bastards were gonna pay for what they did to Zoro. As much as he knew that Zoro would want him to get on with his life, Luffy just couldn't let that deed go unpunished.

But the last thing he wanted was for the others to get hurt for his selfishness. He refused to lose anyone else, even if that meant he couldn't be with them. For a while at least.

"Goddamn it Luffy," Sanji hissed through gritted teeth. "You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"I won't die." Luffy said. His harsh voice suddenly softened. "Zoro would be mad at me if I died," he added with a tiny grin that plucked at his friends' heartstrings.

"Luffy…." Brook whispered. Beside him, Chopper began to cry softly.

"And what of the rest of us?" Robin asked as she stared at a stain on the table with her eyebrows drawn together. "What are we to do in your absence?"

Luffy was at her side, a calloused hand on her shoulder, making Robin bite her lip as her chin trembled slightly. Luffy looked around at his friends, his eyes lit with confidence and the warmth of camaraderie.

"Everybody needs to decide for themselves what they're gonna do." He told them. "Find somewhere safe to hide out for a while. I won't forgive any of you if you let the government get you." His hand pulled away from Robin as he turned to face his shipwright.

"Franky, you've got until tomorrow morning to figure out how to get everyone where they need to go. In the meantime, weld some metal to Sunny's hull. She'll be staying inside Laboon for a while and we don't want her to get ate up in his stomach."

"Right." The cyborg's normally brash tone was subdued. "You can count on me."

Luffy pulled away from the group and headed for the door, his hat pulled low. Sunlight cast his body in silhouette for one brief, shining moment.

"This is for the best guys. You'll just have to trust me."

And then he was gone, pulling the door shut behind him, taking the light away with him.

trust

"How long do you think this will be for?" Nami asked heavily, falling into her seat once the overwhelming feeling of helplessness had faded. "This temporary disbanding?" She said the words like a curse.

Robin got up to pour them all some tea. Still shell shocked, Sanji let her. "It's difficult to say, really," she said, her hands and voice reassuringly steady as she passed the steaming cups around. Whatever she was feeling from before had been carefully veiled. "If Luffy's goal is the Elder Stars, they are probably back at the Holy Land by now."

"That's on the other side of the Red Line. It took us two years to get that far!" Nami clenched her cup with both hands, her grip threatening to shatter the ceramic.

"Two years?" Chopper's eyes were large and mournful.

Robin sat, setting her own cup aside to cool. "The marines have their own ways of travel. If Luffy plans this right, it should not take as long as that."

"But just him?" Franky said, bursting in on their conversation. "Against the Government capital? I don't care how strong he is, that's suicide!"

"He'll beat them," Sanji muttered from across the table. He refused to meet any of their eyes. "If it's for Zoro, he won't lose."

They others fell silent at that.

"I'm so sorry, everyone." Kaya stared into her tea in misery. "I'm sorry I had to bring you such terrible news."

"Don't worry about it, Kaya." Usopp flashed his teeth bravely, even though he looked as though he might throw up. "We'll work things out."

"Right," Nami added, smiling for the other girl. "It's only temporary, after all."

"Indeed." said Brook, finally speaking up. "There is little time left for moping. We need to decide what to do. May I suggest we all take a while to think on it, then meet back here at lunch?" The skeleton looked around as everyone nodded in reluctant approval.

"Okay, everyone." Nami stood, keeping the smile on her face through sheer dogged determination. "I'm going to the ship to pack. Be sure to make good choices."

One by one, the others rose, heading somewhere to be alone with their thoughts. Kidd alone held back, his head buried in his knees.

"I hate this…" he said, his voice coming out muffled but painfully clear.

Usopp paused at the door. "He said to trust him," he reminded the other boy.

Everyone else kept moving, unable to look at one another. Because, for the first time ever, they found that to be a nearly impossible thing to do.

gone

The mineral bath was exquisitely painful. Zoro hissed as he settled himself into the nearly scalding water. He was able to walk around some, but the effort of scrubbing himself clean had nearly exhausted him. Titling his head back, he sank down until the water lapped over his shoulders and closed his eyes. He lie there, breathing in the heavy steam as he listened to it condense and drip down from the ceiling. The heat of the bath made him lightheaded, though that being not much of a foreign sensation over the weeks, Zoro ignored it. Instead he focused on the feeling of his aching muscles slowly relaxing in the heat.

He hadn't seen Ben or Shanks all day. He had to admit he had missed their company. They kept him from dwelling on things. Things he'd rather forget about.

Zoro dunked his head beneath the water. He had to straighten up. He'd been given a second chance, so he needed to move forward, and stop looking to the past and the people in it. He resurfaced, breathing out slowly.

Speaking of second chances, Zoro felt the odd need to apologize to Mihawk, or at least just talk to him. The old witch had told him to ask Hawk Eyes about this new thing going on with his body. Fat chance of that, though. Mihawk hadn't even deigned to step one foot onto the same altitude as him since their psuedo-argument weeks ago.

Zoro opened his eyes and stared at the wall for a long moment.

A few more days and he'd be up and running around somewhat normally. Doctorine was keeping a sharp eye on him though, insisting he needed at least three weeks' more rest to be considered even nominally healed. She told him to stay in his room and be happy about it. It was only through Dalton's intercession that Zoro had been allowed to hobble down the hall to take a much-needed bath.

"Roronoa?" Speaking of larger man, Dalton's baritone breached the door. "Is everything all right? You have been in there for quite a while."

"Ah!" Now that it was brought to his attention, Zoro noticed the once steaming water was rapidly turning tepid. He looked at his pruning hands and wondered how long he'd been soaking. "Sorry. I'm coming out, now."

Goosebumps traveled up bare flesh as Zoro dried himself. He slid into loose tunic and pair of pants, snitched from Ben's recently laundered clothes. A pair of thick socks and a worn pair of slippers followed. Throwing the towel over his head, Zoro opened the door and joined Dalton in the hall.

"I brought a stew up," the larger man offered as they walked back to the swordsman's room. "I heard you haven't exactly taken to Kureha's cooking."

"That's an understatement," Zoro grimaced, toweling his hair dry.

"And, well, I tried to sneak you something to drink in but…."

"She caught you."

"Yeah." Dalton smiled apologetically.

"She's probably drinking it right this minute," Zoro groused. "Anyways, thanks for trying."

"It's the least I could do for a hero to this kingdom," Dalton chuckled lightly.

Zoro stepped into his room, his hands falling to his sides. "That was a long time ago."

Dalton stared at the younger man in sympathy. The trial at Loguetown had been in all the papers. He had dug up a battered copy for Mr. Beckman just last week. The king couldn't blame the swordsman for his actions but still, what an awful thing to have had to have done.

"Where's Shanks anyway?" Zoro muttered suddenly, having sensed the words of comfort wanting to escape from Dalton's mouth. "That bastard owes me money from our last game at cards." He sat heavily on the bed and lifted the lid from the stewpot sitting nearby. "Look's good."

"They didn't tell you?" Dalton's expression turned perturbed.

Zoro looked up sharply. "Tell me what?"

"They plan on leaving today. They're at the capital right now getting supplies."

Zoro frowned at this information. "When will they be back?"

Dalton's eyes showed regret. "They won't."

Zoro stared into his stew, saying nothing, but Dalton couldn't miss the way the muscle jerked in his jaw. He cleared his throat roughly, quietly furious that the Red Hair crew left him to break the news.

"Oh, I've forgotten to bring you a spoon," he noted weakly. "I'll be back in a moment." He departed with a small bow, the one that his councilors always nagged him for. Kings do not bow, they said.

They also said never to leave the room when the tensions in it were running high. Dalton would soon kick himself for forgetting this lesson as, when he returned, he found Zoro gone.

aid

Zoro cursed, already wishing that a coat had been among Shanks and Ben's laundry.

How could they just leave like that? Without saying anything? When Zoro got a hold of those two, they were certainly gonna get an earful. Once he found a way off this bloody mountain, that is.

He stared at the empty cable gloomily. The gondola must be down at the base of the mountain. And in his condition, his weakened muscles would give out before he climbed even halfway down. Zoro rubbed at his face in frustration, his hands already feeling like ice in the frigid climate.

A stir in the snow shook him from his dolor. One of Kureha's giant rabbits (lapins, his mind supplied belatedly) was snuffling around the walls of the castle in search of food. These creatures were carnivorous, he remembered, so it wasn't likely to be searching for a nice green sprout of grass. But Zoro also remembered the witch telling him that these big balls of fur and teeth had replaced Chopper in dragging Kureha's sled down the mountain and to the villages. The witch's sled was nowhere to be seen, but a rope-walking rabbit was definitely in front of him.

"Hey," he called out, hoping that this particular lapin had been weaned to not like the taste of humans.

The large white beast turned and looked at Zoro with a decidedly unfriendly eye. It hissed.

"Shit." Zoro sighed.

The lapin charged.

decisions

"Well," Nami looked around, her expression a carefully crafted mask of resolve. "Have you all decided what you're going to do?"

The eight sat around the kitchen table with grim expressions. Sanji had set out cold cuts for lunch, but they went untouched as six of them stared at their hands and the gold bands that rested heavily on their forefingers. (Chopper's ring encircled one antler, to keep it from breaking when he transformed). The gold bands represented the dreams they had set out to accomplish together. It was a symbol of their bond.

It all seemed unduly cruel. After all, those rings --and the engravings on them-- had been Luffy's idea in the first place.

_"Look!" Luffy pointed out gleefully. "A compass for Nami, 'cause your gonna draw a map of the world. "And these little wavy lines for Sanji, 'cause he's gonna open the very first restaurant on All Blue!"_

_Luffy hopped around until he was by Chopper. He squatted next to the reindeer with a gigantic grin that nearly swallowed his face. "And this here is the petal of that flower Nami told me you loved, because your Doctor-guy said it could cure anything." He handed over the gold band with a small sakura petal engraved on it. "I figured that was fitting for the guy who was gonna learn how to fix any sickness."_

_"And Usopp!" he crowed, rushing over just as the tears were welling up in Chopper's eyes. "Here's yours. I thought that a bullseye would look cool, but you're already an awesome sniper, so I had them put something that I thought represented a Brave Warrior of the Sea."_

_Usopp stared at the miniature skull and crossbones in awe, his lower lip beginning to quiver._

_"And Franky, yours is a picture of Sunny's head because this ship is your dream, and Robin yours is this symbol that the guy said meant 'history' but I wasn't sure, so tell me if it's not and I'll go knock that guy on the head. Brook," Luffy prattled on cheerfully. "Yours was the easiest; I just had them carve in a little whale, heehee."_

_"Luffy…" Usopp whispered, having finally found his voice._

_"How did you do all this?" Nami asked in awe, slipping her ring onto her finger. "It fits perfectly."_

_Their captain laughed, the twinkle in his eyes sparkling like miniature stars. "That's a secret. But, you all had to have your share of One Piece, right?"_

_Everyone looked at him, eyes wet. "Right!" Chopper cried out. The others immediately echoed him._

_"What about yourself and Zoro?" Robin asked as the voices died down. "You both have accomplished your dreams; what symbol is on your rings?"_

_"Nothing yet." Luffy held out two bare rings, while scratching his head. "I thought and thought, but I couldn't come up with anything."_

_Robin smiled her mysterious smile. "I'm sure the two of you will figure it out."_

_"Right!" Luffy beamed. He twisted to look behind him. "Hey Zoro!"_

"_Hmm?" Zoro answered, his voice rough with sleep._

"_Wake up! We've got to figure out what we're living for!"_

The memory of that day, once a source of such happiness, now brought the Straw Hat crew nothing but pain. Because --even if their Captain had assured them it was just temporary-- they couldn't help but fear that if they separated now, they'd never see each other again.

Brook was the first to speak. "I will go with Laboon," he said softly. "He has been missing Crocus lately, so we will head back over Reverse Mountain. As large as he is, I doubt the Marines will bother us."

"Straw Hat wants the Sunny in Laboon," Franky shrugged. "And I ain't leaving my ship." He cast nonchalant eyes over to the woman next to him. "Robin?"

Robin's face was stolid as she replied. "There is much about Gold Roger that I'd like to hear from Dr. Crocus." Her eyes met the cyborg's, her lips twitching into a tiny smile. "I will join you."

Franky looked relieved.

"I'm sticking with Kaya," Chopper said while swinging his feet, his furry face looking forlorn but determined. "There are still lots I can teach her."

"Well," Nami sighed. "I think I'll go to Kokoyashi and see Nojiko. After that, well…" she ran a hand through her hair and tried to smile.

"We'll figure something out," Usopp assure her.

Nami looked at him in surprise. "But—"

"Hey, I told you didn't I?" he slid his hand across the table, brushing his knuckles against hers. "I've made my choice."

"Right." Nami smiled, earnestly this time. "Thanks."

"You better take care of her, Longnose," Sanji muttered around the stub of his cigarette. He breathed out a thick cloud of smoke. "I guess I'll go visit the shitty old man." He sighed. "I need to tell him about All Blue anyway."

Silence fell. They all turned to look at their youngest member, who had been sullenly silent through it all.

"Kidd?"

The boy --the only one without a ring, since he had joined after One Piece had been found-- seared them all with a glare before shooting to his feet. Without a word, he stomped out of the house, slamming the door in his wake. The sound made everyone wince.

white

"Thanks for the lift," Zoro said, as he patted the lapin gratefully. It wasn't a bad sort really, once he knocked it upside the head to show it he wasn't dinner. The white beast had taken him across the cable and down the mountain in half the time it would have taken the gondola.

The lapin snuffed Zoro for a moment, then hopped about to climb up the thick rope once more. Zoro looked around him. He was sure during their descent that he saw chimney-smoke rising from the direction of the village, but now it was masked by a swirling flurry of snow. As Zoro looked around at his options he rubbed his hands together and stomped his feet, trying to get circulation back to his extremities. With the sun hidden, the bite to the air had turned brutal.

With nothing else to go by, Zoro finally chose the course with least resistance. A rolling valley spread out between walls of forest on every other side. It was a pure white blanket of snow that looked almost inviting. The slope inclined back up towards the mountains, but Zoro was pretty sure he'd find the village on the other side of the rise.

Shoving his feet more firmly into his frozen slippers, Zoro proceeded to head in the complete opposite direction of where he wanted to go.

Above him, a hundred yards up the Gondola cable, the young lapin watched. That human had smelled off somehow. The rabbit could still feel the heat from the man where he had clung to his back. And, after all that hassle about wanting to get down, the guy was making his way back into the mountains again.

Its ears laid back, the white monster hurried up the rope, all the while pondering the general strangeness of humans.

hunt

Dalton's face was dark as he reported his findings. "I checked the roof; he's not there."

Doctorine cursed softly.

"He's nowhere in this castle." The larger man added.

Kureha took a healthy chug of wine (appropriated from Dalton) before chucking the bottle into the fireplace where it exploded in a whoosh of flame. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "What were you talking about before he left?"

"Well, we talked about my stew, and the liquor I tried to sneak him…" He noticed the witch's glare, and hurried on to the real facts. "…And the fact that the Red-Hair crew were departing today. It seems they didn't tell him for some reason."

"The fools…" Kureha cursed again. She moved about the room, gathering up her things.

"Ready the sled," she ordered.

horizons

Sanji was sitting alone in the aquarium bar on the Sunny. He was slumped on the couch listlessly, one hand draped over the back and holding an unlit cigarette. He'd lain there all afternoon, watching the light filter down through the upper deck to shoot its beams into the blue waters surrounding him. It seemed unreal that, in a few days or less, he would no longer be calling this ship his home.

He wanted to lash out at the unfairness of it, but the whole affair had just sucked the life out of him. All he could do was lie there and feel the hourglass empty, dragging him down with it.

"Sanji?" A lilting voice called from the doorway. The blond struggled into a sitting position to find Kaya staring at him uncertainly.

"I was told I could find you here." Clasping her hands in front of her, she stepped into the room. Her russet eyes widened as she got her first look around. "Oh my! It's beautiful!" She gasped, staring at the transparent walls filled with sparkling water and sea life of all types and sizes.

"What a strange assortment of fish," she said with awe, placing her hand against the glass. She stared into the tank, enthralled by its contents. Sanji stood and walked over to join her.

"They're from All Blue," he said, watching the fish with a glow in his one visible eye.

"How magnificent! I had heard tales, but to know they're actually true…" her eyes danced with wonder.

"It was like no ocean I'd ever seen," Sanji agreed, putting his hand on the glass next to hers. "Even now it feels like a dream." His ring caught the diffused light and glowed golden. He shook himself, and let his hand slip away. "I'm sorry, did you need something?"

"Err, yes. I had a question, actually…" Now that he was focused on her, Kaya didn't seem to know what to say. "I was wondering if, maybe… If it were all right with you, then could I…?" Her features scrunched up in a show of frustration that Sanji found adorable. She stopped, sighing. "Wait. I'm not saying this right." Kaya rubbed her face, then turned up and stared at chef with steady eyes. She took a deep breath.

"I want to go with you."

Sanji --who had been about to light his cigarette-- suddenly dropped it. "Huh?"

Kaya turned away and began nervously pacing around the center bar. "I know it sounds crazy. We haven't known each other for long, after all. But, listening to you talk about Mr. Zeff and all the others…it really sounds wonderful," she ended with a wistful sigh.

Sanji cocked his head to the side, certain he hadn't heard right. "It does?"

"Yes, of course!" Kaya smiled, clearly imagining crotchety, old, grandfather types bouncing children on their knees. Maybe his stories of the Baratie weren't clear enough. He didn't have Usopp's gift of story-telling, after all.

"A floating restaurant," she continued. "I can almost picture it in my mind." Crossing her arms, she seemed to suddenly remember that she was building a case for herself. She whirled on Sanji, her eyes bright and determined. "A ship like that: it's bound to need a doctor, right?"

"Well…there's a lot of blood that gets shed, that's for certain," Sanji answered weakly.

"See? And I already talked it out with Chopper; he seemed more than happy about the idea. Besides…" Kaya's expression turned wan for a moment. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's time I expanded my horizons."

"Kaya…." Sanji didn't know what to say. He stared at her, seeing everything he wanted offered up to him on a silver platter.

"Please, Sanji. Let me come with you," she pleaded. "Don't let the only adventures I know be the ones told to me."

Sanji ducked his head to hide his expression. "As if I could refuse such a lovely lady," he answered, his voice husky.

"Really?" Kaya stepped closer. He could smell her shampoo again. It was rapidly becoming his favorite scent. "You'll take me?"

Sanji gave her a rakish grin and nodded once.

"Oh, Sanji! Thank you!" Kaya squealed, attaching herself to the other in an impromptu embrace that left hearts floating in Sanji's eyes.

"I already have my things packed. All that's left is convincing poor Merry." She bit at a fingernail. "He seems absolutely beside himself."

Sanji could commiserate. Right now he couldn't imagine being without the glow of this lady's smile. With her light shining on him, the future suddenly seemed a little less bleak.

bighorn

Ben and Shanks were loading the last of the supplies on the train of sleds that would head over the mountains and back to where their ship was docked. With luck and weather on their side, they would reach it before nightfall. But snow was falling heavier by the moment, limiting visibility and causing the sled drivers to mumble amongst themselves, their faces upturned to stare disapprovingly at the skies. If they didn't leave soon, the hired help would mutiny and the Red Hair Pirates would remain stranded on the island until the weather cleared.

Ben was just about to hop into the back of the last sled when a plume of white appeared down the road, growing rapidly larger as it neared. It resolved into a large rabbit, a scar standing out prominently above its left eye. It was pulling a sled behind him at such a speed that a wave of snow was shooting out behind it. Driving that sled was the weathered Doctorine, with Dalton's massive form in tow behind her.

The rabbit dug its claws in suddenly, sending it and the sled skidding along the street to slide to a halt mere centimeters from the end of the caravan. Ben rose to his feet and faced them, a frown pulling at his lips. He cast a narrow-eyed glance over at his captain, silently promising Shanks that if things had gone to hell for this little stunt, he was certainly going to receive a tongue-lashing for it.

"Where is he?" Kureha demanded, looking around. "Is he here?"

"Who?" Shanks asked, as if trying to hold on to ignorance for as long as possible.

Dalton looked back towards the mountains, his face as hard and craggy as stone. "If he got lost out there," he spoke in a deep voice that seemed to hit their guts like a sledgehammer. "He's a dead man."

"He's a dead man anyway, once I get a hold of him," Kureha promised darkly.

Shanks took a step forward, his eyebrows drawing together. "Are you talking about Zoro?"

The look the doctor shot him could have leveled mountains. "Who else would go through all of this just to catch you fools before you left?"

Shanks scowled, getting the unwanted proof that his plan had just spectacularly blown up in his face. "Of all the blooming, bloody idiots!" He cursed.

"What did you expect?" Kureha sneered. She pulled on the reins, turning her lapin and sled about. "I'm going to backtrack, see if I can find the brat."

"I'll head towards Gyasta," Dalton offered, transforming into his bison form. "Maybe he took the wrong line down the mountain and is headed there."

"If I were you…" Doctorine addressed Shanks and Ben without looking at them. She trailed off, her wrinkled face creased with anger. "Do what you want," she bit out finally. Flicking the reins, she urged her rabbit forward once more.

A commotion up ahead forced her to stop. A small crowd of villagers had formed on the road, with all of them looking down the road where a white giant was making its way towards them. The group, as one, all bowed suddenly.

"A Hiking Bear?" Kureha muttered, the light glinting off her glasses. She hopped off her sled and stalked forwards, pushing her way past the mob.

"What's one of them doing off the mountains?" Someone asked.

"Hey, there's something under his arm." Said another.

"It's a person!"

The bear stopped and released its burden into the hands of the front line of villagers. Bowing, it swiveled around to walk back the way it came, heading up into the mountains once more.

The men held the limp form as the doctor approached. Frozen green hair was stark against the snow. Kureha bent down next to him.

"Is he alive?" Ben asked, he and Dalton (back in human form) having followed close behind the witch.

"Ask him yourself." Kureha said, her voice slightly less hostile than it was moments before.

Zoro pulled himself upright, puffing and panting and shivering. His face was red and chapped; ice clumped his lashes together. His arms wrapped tightly across his chest, seeming frozen in position. Ben recognized his own clothes, too worn and thin for the elements. He wasn't even wearing shoes, having either lost them or lacking them in the onset. In seconds, Ben's coat was off and draped around the younger man, his mind fervently whispering apologies.

Zoro eyes were fever-bright but lucid as he stared through the forest of legs to home in on Shanks, who had remained at the back of the group.

"Wh—wh—why?" he huffed out the word between fiercely chattering teeth.

Shanks stared back at him, his face blank but his eyes dark with guilt.

"Take him inside." Kureha told Dalton. "Get him warmed up." She stood.

"You two." Turning, she addressed the pirates. "You aren't going anywhere till this man gets his explanation."

Ben didn't even need to be told; he was already following Dalton into his modest house. He cast a pointed look back at his captain, telling with him to do the right thing.

"Fine," Shanks agreed softly. He walked to the house.

explanations

"You're leaving." Zoro stated with a steadier voice, once both his insides and outside were warmed with piles of blankets and mug after mug of hot broth. His skin was flushed as his internal temperature continued to spike. Once the rest of him had warmed sufficiently, Kureha told them, she would have to place some icepacks on him to combat his fever.

He and the two Red Hair pirates sat around Dalton's fireplace, staring at each other. Kureha was in the kitchen, using the stove to cook up a concoction of medicines to help repair any damage Zoro might have done to himself with his little escapade, particularly to his heart. As she worked she proceeded to eavesdrop on the boys' conversation. What she learned made the doctor worry even more for her patient's heart, though this time for entirely different reasons.

Zoro sat, eyes drooping, but refusing to rest. Not until he heard what Shanks had to say.

"Aye," Shanks replied, a smirk tilting one corner of his mouth upwards. "My sea legs are getting stiff; it's high time to move on and give 'em good stretch."

Zoro frowned at the redhead's trite response. "It doesn't seem like an Emperor to skulk away like a stray cat," he said.

Shank's smile turned apologetic as he tousled his own hair. "I'm more like one than you think."

"Why'd you try to leave without telling me?" Zoro asked bluntly.

Shanks' smile vanished. "Because, my obligation to you is finished."

Silence fell as Zoro digested that. He stared into the crackling fire, his face carefully blank.

"I thought we were friends," he stated without looking at the other.

"We are!" Shanks laughed. "You're a fine chap, and I'd sit down for a drink with ya anytime. It's just…time to move on."

Zoro's head turned, his eyes boring into the older man with frightening intensity. "Take me with you."

For a moment Shanks was genuinely speechless. He stared mutely as Zoro looked away again, this time fiddling with a frayed thread on his blanket.

"It's been too long since I've been alone," he explained reluctantly. "I've gotten spoiled by always having friends around." His eyes, soft and dark and as near to pleading as they probably got, found Shanks' again. "Take me with you."

Shanks felt torn by the admission from the proud swordsman but in the end he shook his head. After all, what would Luffy think if he got here only to find out his mentor had absconded with his precious comrade? "I think not," he replied, not without empathy.

Zoro watched him, his eyes narrowing in sudden thought. "Why?"

Zoro was beginning to look suspicious. Shanks cursed the younger man's unnaturally sharp instincts. If he didn't think quickly, the jig with Luffy would be up and it would be Zoro running off like a frightened alley cat. Thinking rapidly, Shanks reached into his coat, clenching his hand around a roll of papers before pulling them out into view. He hated having to do this, but…

"Take you with us?" Shanks eyes were mere slits behind a curtain of crimson bangs. "The World's Greatest Swordsman _and_ the Pirate King to boot?" he sneered as he held aloft the old newspaper, its headline baldly calling Luffy a fraud. "I'd never get the government off my coattails." He stood swiftly, as if unable to bear the presence of the younger man any longer.

Zoro's eyes widened slightly in shock before an angry protest ripped past his throat. "You know that--"

Shanks cut him off sharply. "What I know is that you made your bed, Roronoa!" He threw the paper down in front of the other. "Now in it you must lie!"

"Now, listen here--!" Zoro shot to his feet, swaying slightly at the sudden change in altitude.

"No; you listen." Shanks poked his forefinger at the swordsman, his voice laced with artificial anger. "The deed was yours; it's over and done and now you have to own up to it. Otherwise…" He turned away. "Well, you can hole yourself up in this castle forever, or run somewhere else and hide, living in your denials. I don't care either way because the one thing you're not doing is getting back on my ship!"

Zoro's face was red from anger and sickness. "I'm not denying what I did, damn it!"

"But you sure as hell haven't supplied the _why's_ now have you?" the redhead shot back.

"Shanks!" Ben barked out, jumping to stand with the rest of them. His First's glare told him he had gone too far. Jaw clenched, Zoro was staring at the floor, swallowing furiously.

Taking a deep breath, Shanks lowered himself back into his seat. His voice was softer, but still biting when he again spoke.

"Explain it to me," he demanded. "Surely you know that what you did was crueler to that boy than anything death the government could have given him?"

Zoro's face crumpled, his body quickly joining it as he fell back into his chair. "Damn it, Shanks! I know!" he choked, bending over to take his face in his hands. "I know…"

Though it pulled at his heart to see the boy like this, Shanks persisted. He had to get the boy off the trail. And, he had to know that he had done the right thing. "Then why?"

Zoro was silent for a long while. So silent that Ben shot him a worried glance, fearing the boy's exertions had caused him to pass out. Finally, however, Zoro lifted his head. His voice, when he spoke, rumbled and croaked as though squeezing past a painful lump in his throat.

"I was fool," he murmured. "A goddamn selfish fool. I told myself that the others still needed him. That there was still plenty he had to do in this world. But, in the end, it wasn't about them or Luffy; it was about me. I didn't want to see him die-- not like that." He stared at Shanks, willing him to understand. "It's not that he wasn't prepared to die; I just… wasn't prepared to lose him." His head bowed once more, the last coming out as a pained whisper. "Far better for me to die than have to witness that."

Shanks regarded him quietly for a moment, his fingers tapping against his chin. "You know what?" His voice sounded bemused and easy-going once more. "That's all right, I think."

"What?" Zoro turned to stare at him incredulously. "Haven't you been listening? I went and destroyed the dream of the person that I respect and love-- more than any other!" His voice cracked; his hands clenched. "When we met, I told him that he better not get in the way of my dream," Zoro said, his eyes looking far away. "I never imagined I'd be getting in the way of his."

Shanks rose to his feet once more, going over to Zoro and perching on the arm of the his chair. "And a terrible thing, that." He slung his only arm over the younger man's shoulders. "But, what's all right —more than all right-- to my eyes, is the fact that you loved another so much that you'd tear down everything to save them. You threw away all of it to save your captain."

Zoro stared at the floor, ignorant of the look that passed between the two Red Hair pirates.

Shanks continued, his voice warm and smooth, like mulled wine. "Pride, honor, friendship: very important things, all of them. But love, well, that's the only true thing to fight for. A love like that can achieve terrible things; things that would make a man go mad merely to think of them. But it is also the type of love that overthrows gods and governments, stops time and tears down the stars."

"And how is any of that 'all right'?" Zoro asked tiredly.

"Don't you know, boy?" Shanks gave the other a squeeze. "Luffy's alive because of the actions you took. And you're alive too, which means you can make up for them! Nothing can be undone, but almost everything can be forgiven."

Zoro nudged the man lightly in gratitude, looking comforted by his words. But his face, what could be seen in profile, still held a wealth of sadness. "I can't," he muttered, rubbing his face in exhaustion. "I've gone up against gods and men and beasts more frightening than can be imagined. But I just can't face him. Not yet."

"One day, then." Shanks gave the other a final pat.

Zoro eyes were suddenly boring into his. "You can't tell him. If you run into Luffy, promise you won't."

Shanks gave him a crooked grin. "I swear to you I won't so much as mention your name. Besides," he rose, stretching and popping his back. "I think we'll stay here for a few more weeks. The cold air is doing my men good." He stood before the fireplace, his expression hidden in shadows and flames. "And, in any event, we can't be taking you with us as you are. You look a right sore sight, my lad, if I you don't mind me saying."

Zoro stared up at him in surprise. A tiny grin snuck up on his face, revealing his pleasure.

Shanks headed towards the door, ruffling the shag of green hair as he passed. "Rest up, you bum! The quicker you're healed up the quicker I can stop babysitting you and go back to respectable pirating."

"Aye-aye, sir." Zoro gave him a weak salute, before settling back and falling immediately into an exhausted slumber.

Shanks left the room, Ben hot on his heels.

"What the hell was that about?" he hissed. "Were you trying to break the boy?"

"I do feel a bit rotten, right now," Shanks admitted, his eyes showing remorse.

Ben sighed heavily and scratched his head. "Yeah well, you should."

"I'll apologize later, if things don't work out." Shanks stared at the abandoned caravan, its drivers all gone home to have dinners with their families. The snow wasn't letting up either, meaning their cargo wasn't moving any time soon.

"About that," his first mate muttered around lighting a cigarette. "First you say you've told Luffy about Zoro --via an extremely rare message bottle that we'll have a hell of a time replacing-- and now you're promising to take him with us."

"Heaven knows the last thing he'll want to do is sail under me, once he learns how I've muddled in things," Shanks mused aloud.

"Well?" Ben blew out a stream of smoke that was nearly masked in the cold by the cloud of his breath. "Which is it going to be, Captain? Are we really taking Zoro with us?"

"Is that a note of hope I detect, Mr. Beckman?"

Ben gave him a look and Shanks smiled slightly, chuckling and sighing all at once. "Well," he said. "That's up to Luffy. Zoro too, of course." he stared up at the heavily falling snow, his voice turning serious. "Our little Anchor has a hard fight on his hands. They're both stubborn mules, to right. It'll be a fierce battle, and I fear they'll be injuries to both sides before it's done.

"Who do you think will win?"

Shanks gave a rueful shake of his head. "Ben, I believe you've come across the one bet I'm not prepared to take."

truth

Morning came too soon for the pirates in Syrup Village. Tossing and turning most of the night, not a one of them could've claimed to have gotten much sleep. Chief among those was their captain, who wasted a few precious moments in his futon, staring at the sunlight steaming in and wishing that the day didn't have to happen.

In the end, time couldn't be put off, and Luffy hefted himself out of bed, slipping his token hat over his head. The house was empty, not even holding the remains of one last breakfast before it returned to abandonment once more.

The weather was mild, the heat of summer finally breaking, letting the east wind blow in once more. The sky was almost painfully blue, with radiant white clouds floating leisurely across it.

The first person Luffy found when he stepped outside was Usopp, who was standing by a rounded stone near the back of the house. As Luffy neared, he recognized it as a gravestone. His feet came to a halt as he heard his sharpshooter address it.

"He was everything you said he was, Ma." Usopp was smiling slightly. "He said he was sorry he didn't make it back for you, but said that you'd probably understood. This is his, you know," Usopp pulled a pistol from his sash. "I bet he'd like for you to have it." He placed the empty weapon on the weatherworn stone.

Usopp looked up, acknowledging Luffy's presence before turning back to the grave and clearing his throat. "I'm more like him than I thought. I belong out there, on the ocean. I'm not sure when I'll be back, or even if I will—it's a dangerous place after all. But this place will be with me, wherever I go." He wiped his nose, scuffing his foot across the grass. "I just wanted you to know that."

"You're different from when we first met," Luffy said, once Usopp had stepped away to join him.

Usopp snorted lightly and jammed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah? Same to you, you know."

"Yeah," Luffy agreed. Together, they silently made their way towards the coastline where Sunny was docked. They stood on the top of the rise, staring down at the beach and the figures moving around on it. Neither wanted to take that next step: that step that would start the many of which that would separate them, for an undeterminable amount of time. Maybe even forever.

"We've grown up, don't you think?" Usopp wondered aloud.

Luffy thought about this. "We've grown. I think."

"Are we better this way?"

Luffy thought back to the days when the whole world was one big adventure, back when nothing was taken seriously except for their dreams. Kids playing at pirates, Zoro had said once.

"I don't know," Luffy admitted. He turned to his friend with a smile. "But I wouldn't trade any of it."

Usopp bravely fought back the tears rising behind his eyes. "Really?"

"Well," Luffy pressed his hat on more firmly, shading his face from the morning sun. "Maybe one thing…."

Usopp's hand came out, gripping Luffy's arm right where the black strip of cloth tied around it. "Me too." He squeezed.

Luffy's own hand rose to rest on the sniper's. "Take care of yourself. Nami too."

"I will." Usopp grinned, the tightening of his face causing an errant tear to squeeze out. "We'll be waiting for you, you know. So you'd better be sure to come back for us."

Luffy nodded, and began walking down the slope.

The plan was to take everyone but Luffy on the Sunny, who was newly fortified to withstand the powerful stomach acids of Laboon's stomach. Sanji, Chopper, and Kaya were going to be dropped off at the Baratie, then Nami and Usopp were going on to Conomi Island via the waver. The rest would return with Laboon to Reverse Mountain. They had offered to drop Luffy off at his destination as well, but the rubber-man refused, choosing instead to travel in the one-sail boat that Franky had built for him.

At least, that was the plan. But one member of the Straw Hats clearly had different ideas.

Kidd stared up at Luffy, angry at the other's repeated prevention from him climbing into the smaller ship. The scar on his neck stood out strikingly against his flushed skin, as he once again tried to toss his meager bag of belonging in with Luffy's, only for it to be stopped by his captain's hand.

"I told you I'm going alone," Luffy told him, frowning. The others gathered around quietly to watch.

"You promised!" Kidd shouted, looking ready to hit the other. "If I stuck with you, there'd be nothing I couldn't do. It was a promise among men!"

"You heard what I said. Stay here if you don't want to go with the others. Those boys didn't seem to want you to leave, and there's plenty of nice people that would probably be happy to take you in."

"I don't want adopted, I'm a fricken pirate! A Straw Hat: you said so at Loguetown!"

Kidd saw the look on Luffy's face, and fell back a step, his eyes bruised by the apparent betrayal. "Liar!" he cried, his eyes tearing up against his will. "Liar! You drag me all the way here and then you abandon me? Is this what your friendship means, Captain?"

Luffy put a hand on his hat. "I'm sorry." He took a step back towards the boat. The foamy surf flowed over his feet, sending a chill up his spine.

Kidd stared down at the wet sand, his curly brown hair glowing with highlights. "Is it because it's my fault?" he demanded in a tiny voice that grew louder as his rant went on. "You all got captured to save me! And because of that, Zoro died! It's all my fault and you hate me for it!"

"Don't say such trash!" Luffy ordered, his words like a slap to the young boy's face. Kidd looked up to see his captain shaking with anger. "It was no one's fault! We made the choice to save you; Zoro made his choice to save me. It was his decision. Don't dirty his memory by spouting—!"

Luffy stopped short. Talking about Zoro's memory suddenly brought to mind the finished statue waiting for him in the next town. Zoro's statue.

"Shit. I forgot it," he cursed. The others stared at him, confusion reigning over their faces. Luffy stood next to his little boat, torn about whether or not to go back for it. He was distracted from his mental debate by the constant feeling of something hard knocking against his ankle. He looked down in irritation, noticing that the waves had carried in a glass bottle, shining pink in the sun. There was the shadow of something in it. Watching it for a moment, Luffy finally bent down.

"What is it?" Kidd asked, his anger giving way to curiosity.

"Dunno." Luffy answered, turning the bottle over in his hands. He heard something clink around inside.

Brows drawn in bewilderment, he set his teeth against the cork, pulling it out with a pop. He upended the bottle and out spilled a rolled piece of parchment, bound tightly by a glittering band. Luffy caught it up instinctively, saving it from falling into the surf. Getting a closer look at it, his eyes widened. The bottle dropped from suddenly numb fingers. Luffy ripped the paper free, his hand closing protectively over the small, shining object. He held it so tightly that he could feel it making a circular impression in his palm. He imagined he could almost feel every scratchy symbol that was etched upon its surface.

Feeling suddenly short of breath, Luffy unfolded the parchment. His hands trembled so much that it ripped slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment, collecting himself all the while the others looked on, here and there exchanging shrugs and looks of confusion.

It was a letter. Against all logic, it was addressed to him. Luffy's eyes shakily skimmed over it.

_Salutations to the good and venerable Pirate King!_

_So glad to be able to assist you with your daring escape, though as I understand it, you lost something precious on the way. I send you this correspondence to let you know that, even after One Piece, there is still treasure to be had in the Grand Line. An object most valuable lies in the Sakura Kingdom. You have two weeks to claim it before we move on to parts untold. Don't be late, or you'll regret it._

_Obligingly, Shanks  
Captain of the Red Hair Pirates,  
One of the Four Emperors _

Luffy scanned the scrawling words then froze. His eyes swiftly reread the document, certain that it had to be some sort of hoax. A cruel joke designed to do…who knew what. It couldn't be legit, in any event. There was just no way. He had seen the truth with his own eyes.

But the signature, the handwriting, the tempo of the language—when all of that matched up, when it all proved real… it was then that Luffy's legs gave out on him. He fell to his knees, stunned and overcome and staring at the words that were suddenly dancing in front of his eyes.

"Luffy? What is it?" Nami came forward, dread written all over her face.

Chopper rubbed his hooves together nervously, looking at him with wide eyes. "What does it say, Luffy?"

"Luffy!" Kidd snapped, impatience and fear clouding his voice.

Large, fat tears squeezed past Luffy's tightly clenched eyes, rolling in rivers down his face. Clutching the letter to his chest, he bent over it, like it was a dying child. His mind was buzzing with thoughts that sizzled like lightning, eventually accumulating into two shining words that repeated themselves over and over in his head.

_He's alive. He's alive. He's alive._

"He's alive…" he croaked out through a mouth that had forgotten how to speak. He looked up, his eyes glittering and wet and glowing with a light that the others thought had been forever extinguished. "Guys, he's alive. He's really alive!" he repeated, rocking back and forth, laughing and crying at the same time.

Franky's glasses dropped from his face. "You can't mean—!"

Chopper's lower lip trembled. "Zoro?"

Luffy nodded frantically, too overwhelmed to speak.

The letter was snatched from his hands and passed around, one by one transforming the faces that read it into expressions of moist-eyed awe. Nami's hand rose to cover her mouth. Chopper began bawling uncontrollably and Usopp fell onto his rear in disbelief, his face so pale it was like he'd been struck dead on the spot.

Sanji passed the note back, his hands shaking every bit as much as his captain's. He started to speak, stopped, and rubbed his face. He took a deep breath, then started again.

"How can you be sure?" he asked finally, his voice a breaking mixture of doubt and uncontrolled hope.

In answer, Luffy held out his hand, in which glittered a large gold ring. A ring that matched the eight in their own possession: a ring made from One Piece, engraved with the letters _R, R, O, W._

"That god-damned marimo bastard—!" Sanji choked, covering his eyes.

Luffy's laugh was like birdsong, flying into the air on glittering wings of absolute joy.

reasons

"_A reason to live for, huh?" Zoro stared at his partner bemusedly as the clouds cast shadows that moved slowly over them._

_Brimming with happiness, the rest of the crew had broken away to do other things, leaving Luffy and Zoro alone on the grass. Luffy hung from the tire swing like a wet towel. It swayed to and fro as he turned large eyes on his first mate._

"_Yeah," he said, holding out their new rings. "I mean, our dreams are finished: What is there to keep us going?"_

_Zoro slipped his hands behind his head, looking less troubled than Luffy had figured at this question. "The others, for one." He shrugged._

"_Well, of course." Luffy rolled his eyes. "But they're not a goal, they're our friends." He pushed with his feet, sending the swing up a bit before gravity pulled it back down. "We need a purpose! Something to work for." _

_Zoro opened one eye. "I thought you prefer to just drift along wherever the current takes you?"_

_Luffy sighed in exasperation. Honestly, Zoro could be so dense at times! "I do, but…" He frowned and halted his swinging. His elbows propped on the tire and he leaned forward to stare solemnly at the other. "Zoro, we could die today and it'd be without any regrets. Doesn't that take some of the fun out of everything?" he asked, his voice boyishly earnest. _

_The swordsman looked back at him for a moment, before holding out his hand. "Give me those."_

"_The rings?" Luffy passed them over. Zoro rose to his feet and Luffy scrabbled out of the tire's embrace. "Do you have an idea?" he asked as his head popped free._

"_Ask me after dinner," Zoro said, and walked away. _

_Luffy had gulped down his food without tasting it, curiosity and impatience overcoming his usual hunger. He excused himself after only three extra serving, pulling his swordsman away before he had even finished his drink. Sanji cleared away their plates while shaking his head in disbelief._

_The moon was full as they stood back outside, this time walking to the rear deck for an added bit of privacy. They had barely come to a stop before the rubber-boy pounced on his first mate._

"_Well?" Luffy demanded, vibrating with excitement. _

_Zoro seemed to hesitate a moment before reluctantly handing the rings over._

_Once smooth, the two bands now had crudely scrawled letters carved across their surfaces. Luffy stared at them, his head turning this way and that. _

"_R-row? Tom-o? I don't get it." He looked to Zoro for explanation. _

"_You've got them backwards for one," Zoro sighed as he switched the rings around in Luffy's hands. "Here, put them together. It was too big for one ring, so I wrote it across both."_

_Luffy looked at the word quietly._

"_Is it okay?" Zoro asked gruffly as he looked away, scratching at his head._

"_It's perfect," Luffy whispered, a tiny smile tickling his lips. He looked up, his eyes glowing. "This is it. This is what we'll live for."_

_He grabbed Zoro's hand and pushed the larger ring onto his finger. "It's a promise, right?" He looked up at the other seriously. Zoro smirked and took the other ring, shoving it onto Luffy's forefinger._

"_Yeah." He squeezed the hand once before releasing it. "It's a promise."_

_Luffy grinned broadly, raising his hand to the sky while urging Zoro to do the same. _

"_This is what we live for…fight for. This is our new dream. Something that's just ours."_

"_It'll be an oath between us," Zoro agreed, his grin flashing in the low light like a comet._

_Together they stared at their hands reaching out. For the stars. For the moon._

_For _tomorrow_. _

tbc


	12. Chapter 12

_Title:_ Final Betrayal  
_Author:_ AstroKender  
_Pairings:_ Somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned.  
_Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Alternate Timeline. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot.  
_**Spoilers:**_ Spoilers span up to and possibly beyond the Thriller Bark arc. **Do not** **read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date.  
_Notes:_ Only one chapter left after this. The end is drawing near; prepare yourselves! Until then, enjoy!

Final Betrayal – Chapter 12

rebirth

"Alive! Alive! Alive!" Usopp, Chopper and Brook sang as they spun together in a circle.

Sanji was lying prone across the sand, staring up into the endless sky, as he let that singular fact sink in.

Zoro was alive.

His eyes met Luffy's, whose grin was so large it split his face. It was his old smile, all teeth and gums and light. Uncontrollable laughter escaped from his belly in a way that Sanji hoped would never stop. In his mind, two miracles had occurred; two lives had been brought back from death. That fact alone would keep Sanji from killing Zoro, once he got his hands on him.

Behind him, Franky was bawling loudly and exclaiming how super everything was. And Kidd was sitting cross-legged near Luffy's small boat, grinning like an idiot while surreptitiously swiping away his tears. Sanji lay there silently amidst the happy chaos, content in listening to Nami, Robin and Luffy as they turned to huddle around Shanks' magical letter.

"How did it get here?" Luffy was asking. He turned the paper this way and that, as if a different perspective would reveal the item's secrets.

"There appears to something else inside the bottle," Robin noted, as she shook its remaining contents free. A lock of hair caught the light and glowed red.

Luffy examined the hair in curiosity. "It must really be from Shanks, then." As if his heart had had any doubts.

Robin was staring at the glass bottle. She looked from it to the lock of hair in her hand. "Luffy, do you still have the Vivrecard that Shanks gave you?"

"Of course. It's in my hat."

Robin dropped the hair through the mouth of the bottle. She held it up towards her captain's head. It hit against his hat with a _thunk_. Luffy blinked.

"A Reverse Vivre." Robin's voice reflected her astonishment.

"Huh?"

"This is mostly conjecture but, I think, if you put an article of yourself here, in this case, a piece of Mr. Shanks' hair, the bottle will automatically home into to anyone holding your Vivrecard. Shanks must have had this dropped into the middle of East Blue, and from there it traveled to you."

"So it's a mystery bottle."

Robin smiled. "It is, indeed, Captain."

"But where is this Sakura Kingdom?" Nami broke in, her voice sounding considerably less carefree. "I've never even heard of it."

"Nor I," Robin replied soberly.

"The deadline on the letter is two weeks, maybe less, depending on how long that bottle has been floating."

"Perhaps Shanks took that into account."

"Maybe," Nami chewed on her lip. "But if we overestimate…" Nami trailed of, then shook her head. "It's not worth the risk. This place could be half way around the world for all we know. We have to find where we're going, we have to plot out a course, and we have get there as quickly as possible."

"If we miss the deadline?" Luffy asked, staring at her with serious eyes.

Nami ran a hand through her hair. "You know Shanks better then we do. What do you think?"

Luffy frowned, already knowing the answer. He reached out and grabbed his navigator's hand. "Nami, please find out where Sakura Island is."

Nami smiled. "You know you can count on me," she said, and punched him lightly on the shoulder. Luffy grinned with relief and handed her Shanks' letter, which she slid into the safety of her shirt. She then whirled around towards the Sunny. "I'm going to go look over my maps!" she called back as she ran through the surf.

"I'll help her," Robin smiled.

She moved towards the small boat carrying Luffy's possessions. "Besides, we need to put all your things back where they belong. Right, Captain?"

Luffy's face broke into another grin. They were erupting regularly now, after lying dormant for so long. "Right!" he chirped. "I'll leave it to you then."

"Wait up, Robin!" Chopper called out. "I wanna help too!"

Luffy turned and squatted on his heels next to Sanji's head. "You okay?" he asked, his head casting a shadow over the other's face.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, your cigarettes just got washed away."

"Is that right?" Sanji's fingers dug into the sand idly. He smirked. "Funny, I was just thinking about quitting."

"I think I need to have Chopper look at you," Luffy grinned, and Sanji couldn't help but return it, feeling more himself than he had in a long while.

"Hello!" A voice called out from the slope.

Realization hit Sanji like a runaway train. He suddenly bolted upright, smacking his head into Luffy's painfully.

"Ow!" Luffy fell backwards. Sanji cursed and rubbed his head.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" the voice called out again.

"Kaya," Sanji murmured, twisting to watch the delicate figure make her way down towards the beach, her retainer stumbling behind with her bags. Sanji cursed again. He couldn't believe he'd almost forgotten. Staring at her, his heart wrenched painfully.

Luffy noticed his cook's stricken expression. He rose to his feet.

"It's your decision Sanji," he told the other gently. "But make it quickly. We leave as soon as Nami gives the word." With that, Luffy jogged away.

"Oiy! Where are you off to?" Sanji heard Usopp call out.

"To pick up something I almost forgot!" Luffy replied as his sandals pounded up the slope.

Kaya turned to watch him as he passed. When she finally reached Sanji's side, she immediately noticed the look on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, kneeling beside him in the sand.

Sanji couldn't bear to look at her, so he reached over and took her hand instead. "Kaya…We need to talk."

destination

Nami pored over her maps frantically, laying them out all around her, covering every available flat surface of her and Robin's room. The archeologist sat on a stool in the corner, flipping through tome after tome of text from the pile at her feet. Chopper ran around them, acting as gopher by moving or retrieving whatever the girls needed. It didn't take long for the room to turn hot and stuffy. Sweat dripped down the women's skin and soaked into their clothes. Panting, Chopper scrambled about, opening the windows.

After an hour's search proved fruitless, Nami threw down the chart in her hand and slumped to the floor. "It's no use," she moaned. "There is no record anywhere of an island by the name of _Sakura_."

"We've found quiet a few that sounded similar," Robin said comfortingly as she thumbed through a particularly large book. "Perhaps Shanks merely misspelled the name."

"Chopper, hand me those maps on the bed." Nami sighed, gesturing. "Maybe I missed something." She withdrew Shanks' letter from within her shirt and stared at it. "The idea that he'd make a typo in a letter this important is kind of horrifying."

Robin hummed in agreement.

Chopper, having reached the redhead's side with the requested charts suddenly dropped them and they hit the floor, scattering. His nose twitched wildly as he gave the air an experimental sniff. "I know that smell…" he murmured, his eye round with wonder and disbelief.

"What?" Nami looked at the reindeer. "What smell?"

"Could it be?" Robin rose. "The letter?"

Bewildered, Nami held the note up to Chopper's sensitive nose. After a moment of snuffing, the doctor cried out in astonishment.

"Doctorine!"

"WHAT?" Nami shot to her feet, hauling the reindeer with her. "Are you certain?" she demanded, shaking the letter directly in front of his furry face.

"It's faint. Lot's of people have touched it. But, I'd never forget that scent." Chopper's eyes began to water in a mixture of joy and nostalgia. "That's Doctorine! I'm positive."

"So Sakura Kingdom is Drum Island!" Nami let the reindeer slide to the floor. "Of course. It makes perfect sense when you think about it."

"Drum Island is your homeland, is it not?" Robin asked Chopper.

"Right! If anyone could've helped Zoro, it'd be there. Not only Doctorine, but the famous Isshin Twenty live there too." Chopper slapped his hooves against his cheeks; to prove to himself he wasn't dreaming. "Zoro's alive! And he's with Doctorine! I'm so happy!" he danced around the room, laughing and scattering Nami's maps until the navigator thumped him lightly on the head.

"Oh!" he cried out suddenly, as if the knock on the noggin had jerked loose a thought. "I'll have to go make Zoro's medicine! He'll be needing it once we get him back."

"Medicine?" Nami's eyebrow arched.

"Oops." Chopper belatedly covered his mouth with his hooves. "I, uh, wasn't supposed to ever tell." He fidgeted under Nami's stare. Luckily, Robin came to his rescue.

"You go and do what you must, Doctor," Robin cut in smoothly, pushing the reindeer towards the door.

"R-right." Grateful for the escape, Chopper dashed away.

Curiosity gone, Nami had already turned back to her maps. "Drum Island. In less than two weeks…" she murmured. "It took us nearly a month to travel that distance the last time. We we're sailing without the Log Pose then; we found the island on blind luck alone. Even if we took the same route, I doubt we'd be that fortunate again."

"Another route then?"

"We'll have to." Nami nodded. "It's risky, though. It'll take time traversing unpredictable waters. Not to mention we lose time at every island, waiting for the log pose to set." Nami stared down at her maps, biting her lip. Her skills as a navigator would be well and truly tested this time.

Robin moved to stand at her side, looking at the ink running in seemingly arbitrary lines across the paper. "Can we make it in time?"

Nami looked over at her. "We have to."

departure

Luffy returned about an hour later, lugging a giant wooden crate across his back. It sunk heavily into the sand when he released it. Hearing about Chopper's discovery, he ordered his crew to make ready to depart at once. While the others scrambled to comply, he shot Sanji a questioning look.

The cook smiled thinly. "It's taken care of." He moved to help the others, but Luffy stopped him.

Luffy bent and hefted up his crate, ready to manhandle it up to the ship. "We can handle it. You go and say your goodbyes," he grunted, nodding to where Kaya was speaking with Merry a little way's distant.

Sanji's chin trembled slightly. He swallowed once, then nodded, jogging off to bask in Kaya's light just one more time. The craving for a smoke hit him hard and suddenly, and he cursed the ocean for washing his cigarettes way. _Thinking about quitting_… Who had he been kidding? He'd been so happy about getting his friend back (his _best_ friend, his mind admitted what he'd never say aloud), that he'd let the feeling sweep him away and he'd temporarily lost sight of the relationship he'd been trying to build.

Kaya was waving up at Usopp as the longnose scampered around on deck. Sanji approached her from behind and cleared his throat slightly, his head bowed low.

"It seems you're destined to be disappointed by men."

"Don't curse me like that!" Kaya turned to him, a teasing smile on her lips. Sanji's heart broke at the sight.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am," he choked, grabbing her hands in a desperate grip.

Kaya's warm smile didn't falter. "Come on Sanji, there was no choice to make. You have to go."

Sanji recalled how overcome he'd felt at the news of Zoro's survival, and how Kaya's face had lit with joy when he told her. He released his grip, pulling away reluctantly. "Not without regrets," he swore to her.

Kaya tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked at her shoes shyly. "I'm glad for those," she admitted.

They stood there for a moment in silence, basking in each other's company and reveling in a brief thought to what might have been.

"I'm still going, you know." Kaya told him when she looked up. "To the restaurant on the sea."

"You are?" Sanji's mouth stood agape.

"Mmhmm. Only Merry's coming with me, now. He was so happy." She spared a second to look over at her faithful retainer. She turned back to Sanji, her eyes sparkling. "Someone has to tell Mr. Zeff about All Blue for you. And since I've seen these fish with my own eyes…."

"Kaya…"

"I'll be sure and tell him you're doing well," she promised, her eyes shimmering slightly.

Sanji reached his arms out hesitantly, before finally enveloping the young woman in a light embrace. "Be careful," he whispered into her hair. "I'm really glad I met you, you know. And one day I'll return to this sea. I hope you'll be there to welcome me."

"How could I resist a request from such a handsome man?" Kaya laughed, pulling away from him with visible effort. "Go on your adventure, Sanji. Meanwhile, I might just have a few of my own." She grinned, and Sanji suddenly knew he'd never love another woman as wholeheartedly as he did the one right in front of him.

He grinned back and bowed. "Well then maybe, when we meet up again, we can go on an adventure together."

"I'll hold you to that."

"All Aboard!" Usopp called out, pointedly not looking over and noticing how cozy the two had become.

Sanji sighed. "That's my ride."

"Be safe." Kaya leaned up and gave the cook a swift kiss on the cheek, eliciting a flurry of hearts from his eyes. "And tell Mr. Zoro, when you see him, that he needs to take more care with his captain."

"Oh, I intend to," Sanji promised, his grin twisting sadistically.

reveal

The Thousand Sunny was safely ensconced in Laboon, and would remain there until they had made it over Reverse Mountain, thereby passing any Marines stationed to trap them and prevent them from reentering the Grand Line. Few things could stop a creature the size of their whale companion.

Brook had thought over the matter long an hard and --in the end-- decided to stay with Laboon and Crocus, citing he had 50 years to catch up on with his long lost friend. The others were saddened by the news, but understanding. After all, reuniting with Laboon had been the skeleton's dream. Plus, being practically immortal, the Straw Hats knew the time would come when Brook would rejoin them and their adventures.

With nothing else to do, they all gathered up on deck, standing in the grass around the giant crate their captain had dragged aboard. With gusto, Luffy swarmed over and around it, prying the boards apart and revealing the contents within. There, in a landslide of protective sawdust, stood a life-sized bronze statue of their missing swordsman. He was posed with one sword raised high; a near replica of the wax statue he'd almost become on Little Garden. With a gleeful noise, Luffy dove in and cleared the debris away, revealing Zoro in all his glory.

The others stared.

"So uh, this is what you needed my drawings for?" Usopp asked weakly, at a loss for any real comment.

"Yep! Isn't it awesome?" Luffy stepped back, admiring the masterpiece.

"It's…" Usopp's voice failed him.

"Naked." Nami finished, slapping her palm across her head.

"Yohoho!"

"Yeah," Luffy shrugged, beaming. "The guy who made it said it was more artistic that way. What a weird guy, huh?"

"A pervert's more like it," Nami muttered.

"I think it's super!" Franky exclaimed, flashing a pose in approval. "What an awesome way to express the essence of a man."

"I would definitely call it dynamic," Robin said as she tilted her head.

Usopp threw his hand up to cover his smile. "Well, it certainly is…lifelike."

"It's amazingly detailed," Chopper said as he darted around the statue, taking it in from all angles.

"What are you going to do with it?" Nami asked as if she were afraid of the answer.

"Perhaps we could put it in the bath?" the archeologist offered, her eyes dancing in amusement. "We could hang towels on the—."

"Robin!"

"Only kidding," Robin smiled, but Nami had her doubts.

Sparkles were floating around Luffy's head. "We should put it right up front! We could mount it to the Lion's head."

"Dear g--." Nami's face flushed with embarrassment at the thought. "No."

"Luffy, Is Zoro's dick that big in real life?" Kidd asked, tugging on the other's shirt.

"Don't answer that!" Sanji screamed out, having finally recovered from his silent apoplectic fit. He slapped his hands over the boy's ears, his face beet red. His eyes were wide and wild as he stared at the statue with a horror normally reserved for only the largest of spiders hiding out in his kitchen.

"I can't be on the same ship as this…this thing!" he said vehemently.

"Why not?" Luffy frowned. Everyone turned to the cook to hear his answer.

Sanji sputtered incoherently for a moment. "Well, it's indecent!" he said feebly, grasping for something solid about the inherent _wrongness_ before him. "I mean-- think of the ladies!"

"Huh?" Luffy's head tilted. "They don't seem to mind."

"Give me a break," Nami sighed as Usopp suddenly shot her a suspicious looking glare.

"Luffy, get rid of it!" Sanji growled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"No way!" Luffy barked back stubbornly. "I spent all my secret money on it! It was going to be a memorial for Zoro, so no one ever forgot him."

"Well, he's alive, isn't he? So it's not necessary."

"But--"

"Forget it."

"_Sanji.._.!"

"Guys, we don't exactly have the time to be arguing about something like this."

"Come on, Sanji…I mean…it's a bronze statue! Finally, we got one!"

Shifting under everyone else's scrutiny, the blond found himself relenting. "All right, all right!" he cried, giving in. "Just put it out of the way somewhere. And find something to cover it up with; I won't be able to sleep knowing the marimo's _thing_ is running loose like that."

Luffy's pleading gaze suddenly transformed into an ecstatic grin. "Hooray!" He laughed.

"How about I help you with lunch," Robin offered kindly, hiding her amusement towards the cook, who looked near ready to throttle their captain. Sanji nodded, giving the statue one last haunted glance before turning away.

"That thing's going overboard the first chance I get," he muttered as they walked towards the kitchen.

answers

Zoro struggled against his bonds-- heaving, straining to free himself. Whatever fantasies he may have harbored about being tied to a bed certainly never involved a situation like this. That the witch knew how to tie knots this skillfully was more than a little frightening. No matter how he pulled, they wouldn't loosen, and the swordsman lacked the strength to break free in his current condition. Red-faced and fuming, Zoro grunted and twisted himself around to glare at Kureha.

"Damn it woman! Untie me!"

Kureha lounged in a nearby chair, leaning back and seeming content to enjoy the show. "And have you wander off again?" Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "No patient leaves my care unless they're fully recovered or dead, and you seem to have a penchant for the latter."

Zoro sighed. "Listen witch--"

Kureha stood suddenly and hiked up her leg, grinding her heel down way too close to a particularly sensitive area of the swordsman's anatomy. "You listen! You're lucky I didn't break your legs! Next time I might not remember my Hippocratic oath." The way she said it made it clear it wasn't a threat. Zoro scowled.

"I can see how, at your age, it'd be easy to forget things--_YOUCH_!"

"Just relax. If you're a good boy, I might give you a sponge-bath later." Kureha's voice was laced with false sweetness as she lifted her foot.

Zoro paled, shuddering slightly at the thought.

"At least send for Mihawk for me," he called out as she turned to leave.

"Why should I?"

"Because, if you don't, I'll just break free eventually and hunt him down myself! Besides," Zoro sighed again, the exasperation leaking out of his voice. "If it's from you, he might actually come."

"Had a spat, did you?" Kureha cackled as she walked across the room.

"Just ask him to come," Zoro said, exhaustion coloring his tone. "Please."

Kureha grinned. "He's already here."

"Here? In the castle?"

"Right outside the door, in fact." The witch confirmed. "According to the redhead, he started to prowl the island as soon as the rum dried up."

Kureha threw open the door, revealing Hawk Eyes on the other side: unapologetically eavesdropping, it seemed.

"I see you've gift-wrapped him for me," he said as he entered the room.

Kureha smiled with menace. "Unwrap this gift and I promise that you'll be needing my services as a doctor. And I don't give discounts on injuries _I_ inflict."

"Duly noted," Mihawk said dryly.

"I need a drink," the Doctorine stated, to no one in particular. "Watch him until I get back, eh? The kid's too stupid to go unsupervised."

"I'll be sure to keep him away from any sharp objects," Mihawk stated, shooting the other swordsman a decidedly pointed look. Kureha nodded and left the room.

The two swordsmen spent long minutes in silence, staring at each other, sizing one another up as if before a duel. Like their last meeting, Zoro found himself bedridden and at a distinct disadvantage. The younger man knew better than to ask to be untied, however, so just dealt with the indignity as best as he could. Living with the Straw Hat crew, Zoro had learned to suffer through plenty of embarrassing situations. He beat this man in a battle for the greatest, who cared if he saw him tied up to a bed in nothing but his skivvies?

"You wanted to see me?" Mihawk was the first to break the silence with an arched eyebrow. Zoro nodded.

"The witch said you might have the answers I'm looking for."

"Oh?" Mihawk's other brow rose to join its partner. He approached the bed slowly, his boots creating a sharp clap across the stone floor. He stared directly down at Zoro, his eyes as sharp and piercing as his name implied. "The question is, do you have the answer I look for?"

Zoro stared up at him steadily. "Try me."

"What would you do if you had your swords?"

Closing his eyes, Zoro grinned a shark's smirk. "What else would a swordsman do? I'd fight." He let out a short laugh. "After I cut myself free from these damned ropes, that is."

"Good lad." Mihawk patted him on the head like a faithful hound. He turned and took a seat. "Now, what is it that you so desperately seek the answers to?"

Titling his head back, Zoro told him.

brook

The Thousand Sunny sailed away from the lighthouse on the other side of Reverse Mountain, leaving their whale friend and one of their own behind. The Straw Hats were in low spirits about Brook staying behind. They already missed the skeleton terribly. No one had as much character as their bard and it didn't seem the same sailing on without him. Everything was just a little less fun.

Not that they had much time for fun, as it were. They were sailing at top speed towards Whiskey Peak. From there the Log Pose would set onto Little Garden-- but they were to wait on Whiskey Peak, Crocus had told them. A few hours later the pose would settle on a larger island to the west that would mark their new path along the Grand Line. That path should lead them directly to the Chopper's homeland and --if Shanks' letter was to believed-- Zoro.

Luffy climbed the ladder to the observation deck, thoughts of his missing swordsman central in his mind. He hadn't been up here in what he thought of as Zoro's space since the day he exploded in anger and busted the place up. Franky had fixed the damage but still Luffy avoided it, not wanting to experience any echoes of the misery he felt that day.

But Zoro was alive, and they were going to go get him, so there was no reason to avoid the place. Luffy felt warmth bloom in his chest when he thought about it. Zoro…. It was as if the last two months were nothing more than a bad dream. Soon, everything would be back to the way things were.

Lifting the hatch to the crow's nest, Luffy experienced the fright of his life to see a skull inches from his face, grinning at him. He yelped and lost his grip on the rung he was clinging to, nearly falling before a strong but bony hand caught him and pulled him up into the room.

"Brook!"

"Yohohoho! You scared me!"

Luffy stared up at the towering skeleton with a mix of happiness and confusion. "What are you doing? I thought you were staying with Laboon?"

Brook fell back into his seat. "I couldn't do it." He rested his elbows on his knees, threading his fingers together and staring at Luffy with an expression that passed for fondness on a face that had no muscles or skin.

"Laboon told me to go," he told him, his voice soft. "He said fifty years is a short time for a whale, but for you guys, your whole lives might pass you by! He said that I should be here to witness it: as the bard to the greatest pirate crew in the world."

"Laboon said all that?" Luffy asked in awe. Being who he was, he thought nothing of being able to understand the giant whale's whistles and blaring trumpets. Brook nodded his head.

"The songs I write about you will be sung for generations! That's the only way Laboon and I will be satisfied. Laboon will wait for me. It's a lifelong promise."

Luffy grinned happily. "That's great! But…"

Brook cocked his head.

"…Just remember to write a few songs about yourself!" Luffy beamed.

The skeleton laughed heartily, already knowing his decision had been the right one. "Yoho! How about: Brook was a Bonny, Bony, Bard!" He tapped his feet in an improvised rhythm.

"The best bony bard in the band!" Luffy laughingly sang along.

It wasn't long until the rest of the crew had wandered to the grass deck, staring up at the crow's nest and wondering where all the music was coming from.

breath

"To think a young scamp like you stumbled onto the legendary sword technique that had been lost for hundreds of years." Mihawk leaned back, his sharp eyes closed in a defeated sigh. "I didn't have a chance, did I?" He chuckled.

Frowning, Zoro struggled to lift his head high enough to see over his bound hands. "What are you talking about? That knife the witch threw at me?"

"Your wound." Mihawk leaned over to poke the raw scar across the left side of the younger man's chest. "That odachi should have pierced your heart."

Zoro's shrug was awkward because of the position he was in. "I guess I was lucky."

Mihawk snorted and stood, pacing the room in agitation. "I don't believe in luck. If it were up to luck, you wouldn't have had to train so diligently in order to defeat me; some other buffoon with a sword would have managed the job."

"Then, something is happening with my body?"

"Your mind, actually," Mihawk clarified. "I'm sure you've learned the principle of the sword that cuts nothing?"

"In order to cut through anything you must first learn to cut through nothing." Zoro replied by rote. "I would have been defeated long ago had I not learned that."

"That teaching is what will continue to save your life," Mihawk said quietly. "…I have talked with Doctor Kureha. With your heart in the condition that it is, you can no longer afford to go full-force into battle. You'll blow it out the first time you try to use all of your strength."

Zoro's eyes squeezed closed as if he were in pain. He had known this to be the case for a while, actually. The effort it took battling Mihawk and knocked him out for nearly a week. But it hurt for it to be spoken so plainly as fact. "So, I've become the greatest swordsman only to lose it to the first punk who draws his sword against me," he bit out in wearied frustration.

"Not so," Mihawk chided. He stared into the crackling fireplace. "When people younger and stronger come at you, you must be flexible, agile." His hand twitched, as if holding an imaginary sword. "You must wait for an opening and then seize it. All the while relying on your aura, using it to feel out your opponent's blade, dulling it, while sharpening your own. It may not save you from bullets or bombs but, if you master this technique," Mihawk spoke to the flames. "No blade used against you will ever draw blood."

"That's what I'm doing?" Zoro asked, struggling to sit up and failing. "Physically changing the properties of my enemy's blade? With my…spirit?" He sounded more than a bit incredulous, as such a thing sounded like one of Usopp's fantastical stories.

"Why not?" Mihawk turned towards him. "You have seen men emit such spirit as to cause those with weaker wills to collapse from the strain. Your own captain has this power, does he not? As does Shanks. Why is what you do any less believable?"

Zoro said nothing, looking thoughtful.

"Most true swordsmen can sense the breath of things. Very few can control it. Almost none have mastered it." He turned around, leveling his uncanny gaze onto Zoro. "But you have begun to. Once you have, you will truly have no equal, for all the men who could once perform such a feat have long been dead."

Zoro stared up at the ceiling, soaking all this new information in. Mihawk said nothing more, and left the room as soon as the witch returned. Kureha was sitting in the vacated seat, halfway into her bottle of wine, when Zoro finally spoke up.

"Hey."

"Hrm?"

"When you let me up, do you think you can throw some more knives at me?" he asked, his eyes staring up into the invisible future.

behavior

"I didn't expect you to be on the ship," Shanks said as he walked up to Ben's thinking spot. "You have been living in that castle since we landed. Why the change?"

"Just regaining my sea-legs," Ben muttered, taking a drag from his cigarette and blowing the smoke into the wind.

"Keeping your distance from Zoro sounds more likely."

Ben pitched his cigarette away with a sigh, proving to Shanks that his statement was right on the mark. Shanks smiled slightly and turned to watch the grey waves rolling across the sea. It was a rare thing to see Ben open up to someone, and Shanks was saddened knowing that --in doing so-- he'd also opened himself up to the hurt that came with it.

"You should spend as much time as you can with the lad. Only fate knows when we'll get to see him again."

Ben shook his head. "I can't. I can't trust myself not to let something slip. If not by words, then by actions."

"You think he'd pick up on you moping about like a mum who's lost her pup?"

"Something like that," Ben said, smirking despite himself.

"Aw… poor Benny…" Shanks slung his arm around the other's torso and leaned on him heavily. "I thought you said you didn't want to have children?"

Ben shook him off with a mock growl. "I said I didn't want yours, you ruddy bastard! Now quit your teasing and leave me in peace."

Chuckling lightly, Shanks complied.

"It's for the best, you know," he said in a sober voice. "He belongs with them."

"I know. But," Ben stared out the ocean. "I can't help but think…he wouldn't have done too badly with us, either."

Smiling and patting his mate's shoulder, Shanks quietly agreed.

toast

After leaving Syrup Village, it had taken six days to reach Whiskey Peak. The island's hills towered over even their massive ship, with row upon row of gravestones covering their surface, making them appear to be giant cactuses. At least, that's what they'd been fooled into thinking the first time they were here. They honestly had thought the island's residents welcomed all pirates with a grand feast of wine, women, and food. Out of the five of them that made up the crew at the time, only Nami and Zoro had known better. Turned out, the whole town was inhabited by bounty hunters.

It'd been a busy night, long ago; the details were mostly blurry now. But Luffy could never forget the look on Zoro's face when Luffy forced them to cross fist with sword. He'd accused Zoro of killing and injuring a village of innocents. It had been a stupid fight, and if Luffy hadn't been so sleep-ridden and food-laden, he'd have known better. Luffy had laughed it off later, but secretly it had bothered him so much that he had hunted down his swordsman the first chance he'd got the other alone, and made sure his stupidity had been properly forgiven.

Luffy looked at the empty street as the made their way through town. He was now faced with a similar situation. Zoro had done something to protect him, and in doing so left Luffy hurt and confused. Zoro claimed to be Pirate King in order to save him from execution, but Luffy had still yet to understand _why_. It went against everything they'd ever talked about. And Luffy couldn't figure out how to confront the other about it without that seeing that look appear in his eyes once again: that look of betrayal. It was something he'd been dwelling on more and more the closer they got to their destination. And now, here at Whiskey Peak, the feeling increased fourfold. As close as they were to each other, Luffy couldn't help but feel that, by not understanding, he was failing Zoro somehow.

"There's some noise up ahead," Chopper called out softly.

Luffy shook himself free of his thoughts. They weren't particularly low on supplies, but not knowing what to expect on the next island had made them cautious. Franky, Kidd and Brook had stayed behind to guard the ship, while he and the others snuck into town to scavenge for food and sundry. Until this moment, they weren't even sure this island was still inhabited.

It was night, and a new moon; perfect for stealth, Nami said. Luffy had shrugged, no matter what time of day it was, it wouldn't change him finding the bar which the noise was coming from and strolling right through the doors. He heard the others groan in his wake.

A large party appeared to be going on, with much laughter and drinking. The bar was filled to the brim with men in brightly colored and mismatched outfits. Most wore paint on their faces and looked at Luffy with a sort of drunken recognition. And, at the other end-- up on the wooden bar like a king, sat none other that Red Nose Buggy, the clown pirate that the Straw Hat crew had encountered more than once in the East Blue.

Buggy glared up when the laughter around him died. The crowd parted, revealing Luffy standing before him. Shock rippled through Buggy's painted face before settling quickly into a grin that practically sneered across his face.

"Why, look boys! It's the boy who pretended to be Pirate King!"

Luffy took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. Instantly, a dozen sabers were pointed in his direction. Luffy froze and Buggy laughed cruelly.

"Not so tough without that demon with you, huh?" Buggy slapped his knee gleefully. "He sure died flashily, didn't he boys?" his smile transformed into a snarl. "Well good riddance I say!"

The crowd broke out into a concurring chorus.

Luffy's teeth clenched. Everywhere around him were people laughing, celebrating the event that nearly broke him. Even if it wasn't true, even as his left hand slid into his pocket to clutch at the gold ring inside, Luffy couldn't help the rage beginning to boil through his veins. To have these men disrespect Zoro in such a way…

"We've been celebrating since Roronoa got it. Why don't you pull up a seat and share in our toast?"

A mug was shoved into Luffy's hands. He kept a hold of it out of reflex. Buggy's grin distorted his face as he lifted his own mug towards the ceiling.

"To the dead pirate hunter! May he rot in pieces!" he cried. His crew's response was deafening.

Luffy let his mug slip from his fingers. It hit the floor with a crash that went nearly unheard in the ruckus. Buggy was watching him with a calculating gaze, figuring that the rubber-man's grief gave him an upper hand in this battle.

Luffy's head was bowed, his eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat. All sound in the room slowly died, weighted down with expectancy.

"Buggy…" Luffy's voice came out low and dangerous.

"Hmm? Did I strike a nerve, Straw Hat?"

Luffy's arms pulled back. Buggy's eyes narrowed and he signaled to his crew to attack, but his men suddenly had their hands full dealing with five angry-eyed members of the rubber-man's crew. The Straw Hats held the Buggy pirates back with more fear than force, as they waited for the final word from their leader.

Luffy's body was steaming. But his eyes, when they rose up to his target, held none of the anger that the clown had expected.

"You'll always be nothing but a big nosed idiot," Luffy said, and Buggy's face turned purple at the insult.

"_WHAAT_?!"

Luffy smirked and released the tension in his arms, slamming the full force of his hands into Buggy's midsection. The force of his Bazooka blasted the clown through the roof and out into the far off distance.

Buggy's crew cried out, red-faced with anger. Sanji turned a wild eye their way.

"What exactly were you toasting to?" he asked, in a way that made many a man nearly soil himself.

"I suppose we are left to clean up the mess," Robin smiled, her hands blooming in a flurry of petals.

Luffy looked at his crew, grinning unrepentantly. "Sorry, guys."

"Trust me," Nami grinned darkly, her clima-tact already beginning to spark. "This'll be a pleasure."

Buggy's crew was dispatched in less than a minute.

"It looks like these guys have lived here awhile," Usopp said as he kicked a table back to right. "They probably spent their time raiding the ships that came through, the jerks."

"Yeah, but that also means there's enough supplies around here to keep us stocked for awhile," Sanji called out from peaking into the bar's larder. "If you build a sled, we'll drag it all back to the ship."

"Will do!"

"One more island and then we're off to Sakura Kingdom, right?" Chopper asked as he roamed about the room, checking his crewmates for injuries.

"Right." Luffy smiled, his earlier anger burned off like fog. He turned towards Nami. "When will the log pose set?"

"In about another eight hours," Nami said, looking at the device on her wrist.

"Okay," Luffy clapped his hands. "Let's not make all this time a waste. Chopper, Robin, clear the rest of these guys out of here," he toed one of the unconscious bodies at his feet. "Tie 'em up or something so they can't cause any more trouble. Nami, look around and see if you can't find anything that'll tell us about the next island. Sanji, Usopp: take care of the supplies, but leave some aside, I'm getting hungry."

"Surprise, surprise…" Sanji muttered, raiding the fallen men for cigarettes.

"We'll eat and then everyone'll get some rest. We've outrun the marines up 'til now, but they're getting eight whole hours to catch up with us."

"They will most definitely be after us," Robin noted as she drew out a sheaf of papers from underneath one of Buggy's men. She held them aloft, showing them to be their wanted posters. "It seems our bounties have doubled."

The others crowded around to look.

"Hey, Kidd has a poster now!" Chopper cried. "I bet he'll be happy."

"Hah! Just wait until that stupid marimo sees that my bounty has gotten higher than his," Sanji said, chuckling. Everyone else smiled. All except Usopp that is, who didn't even notice how much his bounty had grown, too absorbed was he in staring at the one poster out of the ten that had a large black _X _across it. The only bounty that hadn't risen. The one with a big circle around the word '_Dead_' in _'Dead or Alive'_.

Zoro's.

_He's alive, _Usopp told himself. But staring at the poster caused a splinter of doubt to pierce the sniper's heart. He barely spoke for the rest of the night and walked around like a zombie, letting dark thoughts infected his mind with multiple unwelcome possibilities.

settlement

Kureha loomed over her patient. "You think I healed you out of charity? I want payment, you fungus-head!"

Zoro glared up at the witch, rubbing his wrists after being finally released from bondage. "Look, I told you, I came in with just the clothes on my back. I don't have anything to give you."

Kureha turned away with a huff. "I guess I'll just turn you in for the reward; get my money that way."

"You _wouldn't_…"

"Keh keh, try me." Doctorine's sunglasses flashed evilly. "They think you're dead, but seeing you breathing would probably be enough to reactivate your bounty."

Zoro's death glare went unnoticed as Kureha patted him down, checking for bruises or unusual marks that could mean he was still sustaining internal injuries. "Of course, I'm not unnecessarily cruel."

That earned her a dubious look.

"I'd accept a stint of indentured servitude as payment," she offered as she tested his temperature. "I'd say ten years' worth ought to do it."

"I'm being treated by the devil," Zoro mused aloud, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"What's that? You want the secret to my youth?"

The doctor stepped away and Zoro sat forward, staring at his clasped hands. It was true he owned the woman something, but what did he have to give? He definitely wasn't spending ten years as the witch's slave; Zoro grimaced at the thought.

But he always repaid his debts; he couldn't live any other way. His gaze moved up Kureha, wracking his brain for something acceptable he could offer. His eyes caught on three glittering objects and he froze. Piercing through the witch's right ear were three small silver hoops. Zoro frowned, his left hand coming up to brush against the three gold drops dangling from his own ear. After a moment's consideration, he pulled them free.

"What if I gave you these?" he asked grudgingly. "They were a gift from my master. They're real gold; won't that be enough?"

He waited quietly for Kureha's answer. The witch took the three earrings, looking over them with a softer eye than Zoro would have supposed. Eventually, she turned away.

"These will do." She slipped them into her pocket. Zoro tried not to think about how off balance his head now felt.

"Thank you," he murmured.

Kureha turned, beaming at his gratitude. "That's always the best tip," she told him.

plan

Rainspell was a peaceful yet dreary island, Garp mused as he sipped his tea. The fruits and vegetables grew lush here like nowhere else, but the sacrifice of such a bounty was that it rained for a significant portion of every day. The humidity made the island feel like a hothouse and Garp had taken off his trademark dog's head just so he wouldn't feel like he was suffocating.

He sat in his room on his ship, staring out through the rain to the ocean beyond. The island didn't interest him. The people who had landed on it did. Garp drummed his fingers atop his desk, waiting.

The door opened. Garp's fingers stilled.

"What's the word, Lieutenant?"

Helmeppo saluted, his face flushed with happiness at the reminder of his new promotion. Garp smothered a smile. The man had been acting like this for weeks. It'd be downright unbearable if it weren't so damn funny.

"Yes sir! Lieutenant Helmeppo here with a report, sir!"

"Get on with it then," Garp said, rolling his eyes.

"Sir! Four of them have been spotted going into town."

"Is the girl with them?"

"No sir. She is suspected to still be on their ship."

Garp grinned. "Good. Give Coby the order to move. Then radio headquarters and put in a formal report that we have spotted the Straw Hat pirates and are moving in to engage."

"Yes sir!"

Forty minutes later, Lieutenant Coby had returned with the pirate known as Cat Thief Nami in tow. She looked as irritated as a wet cat, Garp mused after she'd refused his offer of tea. She stood before his desk, watching him with wary but curious eyes.

"What's this about?" she asked. "Coby said it was important, so I came only to get slapped in chains as soon as I board your ship." She sent a glare Coby's way. The lad paled. "What's the deal?"

"Isn't that what marines are supposed to do to pirates?" Garp asked with a chuckle.

"Come off it! We're sailing on a deadline, here!" the redhead shouted, slamming her palms on Garp's desk. "We don't have time to toy around with you right now."

"Look missy," Garp leaned forward. "We can go about this the traditional way, surrounding your ship and firing cannons and seastone nets and all that, or we can do this my way and you can sit your butt down and have some tea. Helmeppo should be back soon with your captain."

Nami stared at him for a moment, searching, before reluctantly taking a seat.

duty

Recently promoted Lieutenant Coby stood just inside the door of his commander's office, watching his superior talking to a pirate about the different varieties of biscuits. He held onto the redhead's confiscated weapon with a white knuckled grip, as sweat coursed down his brow. He could feel the tension building in the air. If this didn't go down perfectly….

There was a knock on the door, causing Coby to jump slightly. Garp rose to his feet.

"It appears your captain has arrived," he said, extending his arm as if to escort the pirate Nami to a ball. Her eyes narrowed but she took the proffered arm, her chains clinking.

"I hope you're sure about this," she muttered.

Coby accompanied the two out to the deck and over to where Helmeppo stood, nursing a bruised and swollen face. It appeared that Luffy hadn't taken the capture of a member of his crew very lightly. The dark-haired boy glared at them, his eyes flashing with irritation.

"Give me back my navigator, Gramps!" Luffy bared his teeth.

"That's AkaInu to you, brat!" Coby's commander barked back.

Luffy's anger vanished. "AkaInu? You mean… you're an Admiral now?"

"After Loguetown, the position needed filled."

"I-I was promoted too," Coby offered up hesitantly, unsure about the fluctuating moods of his old friend.

"Really?" Luffy grinned over at him. "That's great! You'll achieve your dream in no time, Coby!"

Coby flushed with pleasure. Helmeppo raised his hand, shouting-- eager as always to be acknowledged.

"Me too! I became a lieutenant too!"

Luffy stared at him. "…Who are you?"

Coby laughed as Helmeppo hit the ground. It seemed Luffy hadn't changed a bit.

His laughter died. But that wasn't right, was it? How could Luffy act so carefree after losing Zoro such a short time ago? The more he watched his pirate friend, the more aggravated Coby became.

The comedy routine was eventually halted by Admiral Garp's Fist of Love. The old man then turned gruff eyes on his grandson.

"Where are you headed?"

Luffy narrowed his eyes a moment, but then smiled. "To pick up someone!" he said, his face glowing with joy.

_How?_ Coby wondered. How could Luffy smile like that when his closest companion was dead? It just wasn't possible, even for someone as carefree as Luffy. As Coby stared at him, another, even more impossible thought struck him. That was right. Luffy _couldn't_ smile like that unless…unless….

Coby stepped forward, his eyes wide and wet. "Luffy… d-do you mean…?"

It's seemed impossible, but Luffy's smile grew even brighter.

"I see…" Garp's eyes softened slightly. "You know I'm duty bound to stop you."

Luffy's eyes were steel, though his grin never left his face. "You can try." He clenched a fist, grabbing one bicep.

Coby's watched, his lip trembling. Impossible, huh? That Luffy! He always dealt with the impossible as if it were nothing. Coby's head bent in relief (and to hide his tears). Heaving a great sigh, he loosened his grip on the thief pirate's weapon.

And that was all the prompting the girl needed.

Nami's handcuffs suddenly clattered to the deck, (Coby later learned that she had stealthily swiped the key off Admiral Garp). She twisted around like a cat, flying in low and knocking Coby over while wrenching her weapon from him in the process. Ducking her head, she pointed it into the air.

"Thunder Tempo!"

A powerful arc of lightning spread across the ship to shoot up into the air, illuminating the low-hanging clouds in a crackling frenzy. While everyone was distracted trying to keep from getting fried, the redhead ran forward, grabbed Luffy and threw them both overboard. Her hammer of a captain in tow, she kicked out her legs, swimming for the coast.

"They've jumped ship, sir!" Helmeppo cried out when the electrical storm died down.

Garp's face was dark with fury. "After them!" he ordered.

"Wait!" Bogart called out from above. His fedora was seen poking out of the crow's nest. "There's a ship coming around the east coast!"

Garp looked out to sea but couldn't see much in the gloom. "Is it the Straw Hats?" he asked, calling up to his right-hand man.

"No sir, it doesn't have the mark of their jolly roger. The ship appears to have… Sir! It's bearing the mark of a dragon!"

"What? What's he doing here?" Garp whirled around, jamming his dog-mask back over his head. "It's the rebel, Dragon! Raise anchor, men! We are to pursue at full speed."

"What about the Straw Hats, sir?" One of the men asked. Garp glared at him.

"Dragon is the most wanted man in the world. Do you want to explain to the Fleet Admiral that we didn't go after him?"

"No sir!" the man saluted, turning about three shades paler than his normal coloring.

"Then hop to it!"

Garp stood there amid his scrambling men, staring out into the distance with his hands held casually behind his back… Acting for all the world as if all of this hadn't happened exactly according to plan…. On the other hand, Coby felt like fainting with relief. All nearby marine ships would be radioed to join in the pursuit of the revolutionist, Dragon, leaving Luffy and his crew free to sail onwards with minimum interference. It was Garp's apology to his grandson for not being able to do more for him at Loguetown.

Though apparently, Loguetown hadn't been the base of a tragedy as they once thought. Coby grinned with happiness. _Thank goodness!_

"Coby, Helmeppo," Garp called out softly, motioning his underlings nearer. "We don't need baseless rumors to be circulating through the ranks, causing a stir." He leveled sharp eyes at them. "It's best if you both forgot the name Roronoa Zoro for a while."

"Yes sir!" they saluted, understanding completely.

Walking past, Garp paused for a moment before his pink-haired subordinate. "What are those tears for, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing, sir!" Coby straightened, sniffing loudly.

"Good. As you were, then." He walked away, calling out orders to his men. Looking at each other, Coby and Helmeppo exchanged grins that had to be quickly smothered as Garp yelled at them to get their asses to work.

drum

"You can't leave yet," Kureha had said. "There's one more thing you've got to do."

Zoro pushed the shovel into a snow bank and paused to wipe at the sweat that was beginning to freeze across his forehead.

"Tell me again why I'm out here?" he asked grumpily, hefting up another scoop of snow.

Kureha was sitting on a makeshift bench with Ben, Shanks, and Mihawk-- looking on as if Zoro was some kind of entertainment sideshow. "You're proving to me that you're well enough to leave. Your wounds were serious and will have lasting effects on your body. If you can't exert at least this much effort without pain, you have no right to return to being a pirate."

"I think you just wanted some free labor," the swordsman puffed.

"Keh, keh…that too."

"One… more question," Zoro grunted as he hurled another blob of snow away from the castle's doorway. "Why can't I wear a shirt? You _do_ realize how cold it is out here?"

"Below freezing, at this altitude." Kureha grinned. "But it's more fun to watch this way."

The others smirked. Cursing, Zoro doubled his efforts to clear the snow away, determined to finish the job and get away from the hell-spawned woman once and for all. The witch was ten times worse than Nami ever was.

It didn't sting as much to think about the others anymore. The aching pang had faded, replaced by affectionate speculations of what they were getting themselves into these days. He couldn't deny that he missed them-- missed them like hell. But he had firmly convinced himself they were better off without him.

Kureha watched him work, her eyes crinkled up in amused irritation on how speedy the hellish job was getting accomplished. Where was a good blizzard when you needed one? She sighed fondly, grudgingly realizing that she couldn't keep the kid here forever, no matter how amusing he was.

"Stupid brat…" she muttered. "Must be bent, wanting to leave the care of a young and beautiful lady such as myself."

Ben, with a far more straight face than the others, politely agreed.

"Must be."

Shanks had to get up and walk away, unable to suppress his laughter.

Zoro finally finished his task, coming out of it tired and sweaty, but none the worse for wear. Giving the man a clean bill of health, the doctor went with them down the lift, meeting Dalton and a caravan of sleds at the base of the mountain.

"Take this," Kureha said as she slapped a thick envelope against the swordsman's chest. "It's instructions to your next doctor on how to prepare your medicine."

Zoro glanced at it. "It says '_Chopper_' on it."

"Just ignore that." Kureha waved it away. She gave the man a backhand slap across his chest. "Stay happy, brat."

Zoro huffed and looked away. "You too," he muttered.

The witch stepped away and Zoro turned and bowed to Dalton who, smiling, bowed back deeply. Smiling, Zoro looked up one last time at the mountain that had been his home for nearly two months, before turning and sliding into a sled next to Ben. The other man threw a fur blanket over his shoulders (His shirt had mysteriously 'gone missing', the witch said.) and signaled up to Shanks in the lead car that they were ready to go.

The caravan started forward jerkily, and soon Zoro was bidding the Sakura Kingdom a silent goodbye. He fell asleep before they'd even passed Big Horn, and didn't wake up until hours later, when they'd finally reached the ship.

snow

"It's beginning to snow." Robin noted as she glanced outside. She carried two cups of tea from the dumbwaiter and set them on the table. She slid one towards Nami before taking a seat.

"That's good." Nami's sigh was a mix of exhaustion and relief. Her hands hugged the warm teacup gratefully. "It means we've entered the magnetic field for Drum Island."

"Sakura Island." Chopper corrected from the settee running along the length of the aquarium. He sorted idly through a stack of poultices. He picked out a few he thought may be of help to Zoro (plus the swordsman's heart medicine that he'd been trying _really_ hard to keep secret) and stowed them away in his backpack. The small reindeer had been energetic despite the lack of sleep from sailing nonstop for nearly two-weeks. No doubt their final destination was the source of the doctor's unflagging spirit.

Robin sipped at her tea with a smile. "I'm sure that name would have made Doctor Hiluruk happy," she said, having made a point to learn the histories of all her comrades.

Chopper's eyes watered and he nodded. "Yeah…"

"Doctor Kureha probably had a hand it that," Nami mused. "I bet she beat the others until they agreed."

"Doctorine…." Chopper hiccupped and Nami reached back and stroked his head.

"Why don't we pay her a visit once we're done getting that big idiot back? I'm sure Luffy wouldn't care." Nami scratched behind Chopper's ears, knowing he secretly liked it despite all his protests. "And I bet Doctorine would be very proud at how good of a doctor you've become," she added kindly.

"Stupid!" Chopper yelled back as he squirmed in his seat, both laughing and crying at once. "That wouldn't make me happy at all!"

"I'll mention it to Luffy later." Nami promised as she rose to her feet. "Right now I'm going to relieve Franky from the helm. We're a few hours behind schedule. Maybe the sails can be adjusted so we can shave off some time."

Robin inclined her head in acknowledgement. "Try not to push yourself too hard."

"Don't worry," Nami said, suddenly sounding upbeat. "Zoro's gonna owe me a fortune for making me work this hard!" she grinned, pinching her thumb and forefinger together.

Not looking where she was going Nami ran into Sanji, who had just come down from the kitchen. "Wha—oh, Sanji. Sorry about that."

"Don't mention it, Nami-sweet! I just stepped down to bring you all lunch." He held up a tray that he had managed to keep balanced during the collision.

"Save mine for me, would you?" Nami asked, already halfway up the stairs. "I've got to get back to the helm."

"Yes, Miss Nami!" Sanji saluted happily before passing out sandwiches to Robin and Chopper. "I'll be right back with some drinks, Dearest Robin," he promised.

"Take your time." Robin smiled artfully, causing the blond to leave in a twirling whirlwind of happiness. In love or out, Sanji would never really change. That's what made him so charming.

"Shouldn't somebody go tell Luffy, too?" Chopper asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

"Don't worry, Doctor," Robin's smile faded only slightly as she turned to gaze out at the flurry of white on the other side of the glass. "I'm sure he already knows."

tbc


	13. Chapter 13

_Title:_ Final Betrayal_  
Author:_ AstroKender_  
Pairings:_ Somewhat irrefutable hints of Luffy/Zoro visa-versa. Other pairings hinted at and/or mentioned._  
Warnings:_ Rated T for swearing, violence, blood, and angst. Alternate Timeline. Contains Spoilers. Additional warnings for me just making shit up, like future crewmembers, fighting abilities and whatnot._**  
Spoilers:**_ Spoilers span up to and possibly beyond the Thriller Bark arc. **Do not** **read** if you care about spoilers and are not up to date._  
Notes:_ And the finale arrives. I hope it meets expectations. Thanks to everyone who read and commented to this story. Especially you regulars, who's bullying kept me working hard. I couldn't have done it without you all.

Final Betrayal – Chapter 13

reassurance

"Sakura Island, straight ahead!" Brook called out before his afro retreated back inside the observation deck. Brook had pretty much barricaded himself in as barrelman, complaining that the cold made his bones hurt. He hadn't set foot outside since the first snowflake hit the deck.

Bundled up in coat and gloves, Usopp wandered out on deck, blinking against the blinding whiteness around him. He'd been sick since Whiskey Peak and had spent much of the remaining journey bedridden. Chopper hadn't worried much, figuring it to be exhaustion. After all, they'd all been working themselves ragged (to the bone, Brook joked) in order to make it to Drum before the deadline. But Usopp knew his sickness had been more mental than physical.

His neuroses about Zoro's fate had plagued him continually, making it impossible to work or eat or rest until finally the others had banished him below deck. Whenever someone had looked in on him (during all too temporary lulls) they inevitably found the sniper huddled up on the sofa in the boys' room, pieces of something he'd been idly tinkering with sitting abandoned on the table. They looked at him, saw the dark circles under his eyes, and couldn't find the heart to yell at him for not helping.

But today the cards would finally fall, and Usopp couldn't lock himself away from the truth-- whatever it happened to be.

Sanji was back near the survey room, moving around large sheets of canvas as he went about making sure Robin's flowers and Nami's tangerine trees were well insulated from the cold. The blond looked down, saw him, and called out in greeting. Usopp nodded back. He spotted Franky at the foremast. The cyborg was pulling at the rigging to the boom vang, apparently adjusting the sails again as per Nami's order. Sideling closer, Usopp cleared his throat.

"Need any help?"

Franky blinked at the sniper's sudden appearance. "Nah…I got it." With a sharp twist, Franky secured the rope, tying it into a bowline before turning to face Usopp's wan figure. "Strawhat is up by the lion's head," he said without preamble. "He hasn't moved for hours, not even for food."

Usopp rubbed his arms as if chilled. His gaze rose towards the front of the ship but he made no move forward. Franky sighed and grabbed the smaller man by the shoulder.

"I know what your thinkin', but don't worry. Roronoa is the strongest human I know. He gets by with his own blood and sweat-- no devil's fruit, no alterations. He's not the kind of man that'd be taken down just like that. Not a super guy like him." He gave the other a light shove towards the prow.

Hearing those reassuring words, seeing his friend's confidence, helped raise Usopp's own flagging spirit. Franky was right. Everything would work out, he told himself. It always did.

"Thanks, Franky."

"No prob, Bro." the cyborg raised his thumbs and gave the other an outlandish wink. "Now go on! I need some cola." He sighed heavily. "And some pants. My ass is freezing!"

Usopp couldn't help but laugh and the two parted ways; Franky headed back into the hold and Usopp made his way past the foremast. Nami was sitting at the helm, bundled up in a thick coat and mittens as she kept constant vigilance over the air pressure and the ever-changing ocean currents. She gave him a tired smile and a half-wave when she noticed him. Looking back sheepishly, Usopp did the same. Watching her work so hard made the sniper feel guilty. After all, they wouldn't have even gotten this far without Nami; what had _he_ contributed?

He made a motion towards Sunny's smiling figurehead and Nami nodded. Luffy was standing on the lion's bust, staring out with arms crossed. He seemed frozen, unmoving like the bronze statue he always wanted of himself. Snow had gathered on the brim of his straw hat and his face was red and chapped from the cold. His eyes, however, were blazing expectantly. It was like his mind had already reached Zoro and was impatiently waiting for his body to catch up.

The silence seemed almost too sacred to break. Usopp stood quietly behind him for a moment, thinking about everything that had happened to get them to this point. He leaned against the keel, his chin resting on his crossed arms, and stared at Luffy's back and the unwavering faith it carried. Usopp's fingers clawed at the Adam wood, wishing the stalwart timber would lend him a little of its strength-- just enough to bolster his faltering courage. He kept seeing Zoro's wanted poster in his mind, crossed out in heavy black ink.

Luffy's eyes flicked down to give him a second's glance before homing in on horizon once more.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

"It won't be long, now," he promised as Usopp crept up the steps leading to the lion's head. Luffy's mouth was pulled into a tight smile, one showing determination to get what he wanted. Staring at him, Usopp knew that not even the Devil himself could stop Luffy from reaching his goal. Summoning a weak grin of his own, Usopp forced himself to nod.

Luffy looked out across the sea, his smile softening just slightly. "You can see the Drum Mountains now."

Usopp stopped, frozen to the last step. He swallowed, his throat feeling tight. "Do…do you really think he's there?" the sniper asked, voicing his doubts about the mission for the first time.

In answer, Luffy pulled out Zoro's gold ring from his pocket. It looked oddly heavy in his hand: a reminder of Zoro's dreams, whatever they were (he and Luffy had both been oddly tight-lipped about them). The sun glistened on the inscription, by chance lining up perfectly with the band on Luffy's forefinger. Usopp saw them and suddenly understood. To Luffy, no more credible proof could be had. To Luffy, there was nothing he could do but believe.

But Usopp just couldn't be that confident. He was a coward at heart and he couldn't face the idea of coming all this way –full of hope—just to lose the swordsman all over again. He opened his mouth to ask what if…just, what if the ring in his hand meant that Zoro's body was the only thing waiting for them: that the rest of him had gone on, out of their reach—forever. Usopp felt the words burn against his tongue but, seeing Luffy's face as he held that tiny piece of Zoro, he swallowed them back.

Luffy pocketed the ring and Usopp forced his feet to move, carrying him over to stand next to his captain. Together the two stared at the white splotch on the horizon.

"Shanks' ship…" Luffy's voice was amazingly calm. "Can you see it?"

"Hold on…" Usopp lowered his goggles and squinted, looking for a dark speck against the snow. He grunted in frustration and tugged one glove off with his teeth so he could adjust the lens's focus. He held his breath to keep it from clouding his vision.

"It's there! I see it, with the dragon prow!" Usopp sagged in relief only to immediately go rigid. "Wait--!"

Luffy started at the sniper's tone. Usopp's jaw moved, but no sound was forthcoming.

"Usopp!" Luffy said the name like a demand.

"The ship…" Usopp's hand reached out and clutched onto Luffy with a vice-like grip. "It's leaving! Luffy, it's leaving!"

It took a moment for Luffy to process those words. When their meaning finally came, they seemed to slam into him with the force of a cannon. Luffy gave a sharp intake of breath before twisting around. His next words were called out in such a decibel that the very ship seemed to shake.

"FRANKY!"

beer

"Tie up the mainsail!" Nami ordered. "We don't want to cause a drag. Secure anything that isn't fastened down."

"We've got less than 4 barrels of cola," Franky appeared on deck, out of breath. "There wasn't enough at that last island to restock."

"Use what we have," Sanji called back as he tied off the lines. "Pull some bottles out of the fridge if you have to."

"Right!" Franky turned and disappeared back below deck.

"We're losing sight of them!" Usopp called down from the crow's nest, having usurped Brook for position as lookout.

Cold forgotten, the skeleton was lashing down the barrels Luffy rolled his way. Kidd was handling the helm, using his eye for detail to line the ship up precisely with their mark while Nami was busy shouting orders. Chopper scrambled around sickbay, trying to store away beakers and vials and protect his strange concoction of medicines.

Robin appeared on deck and jogged over to Nami. She handed the navigator Kidd's megaphone, to help her orders be heard clearly by everyone. Kidd didn't complain; he'd give whatever needed to help. Nami smiled in thanks and lifted the device to her mouth.

"Luffy, Chopper!" her voice echoed throughout the Sunny. "Go down to the soldier dock and prepare to open Channel Zero when we land. We may need man-power to close the remaining distance." She paused to look over at Robin. "Could you go down and help them? They could probably use the extra hands."

"Of course." Robin disappeared from her side as Luffy quickly sent a stretchy arm past, using it to hurtle him across the ship and into the hold. Nami turned toward the helm.

"Go help Franky in the energy room," she told Kidd as she quickly shed her coat. She needed freedom of movement to control the wheel once they landed. She raised the megaphone one last time before tucking it away.

"Franky, you can launch as soon as you're ready. Everyone else better hold on to something." Nami sat at the helm's chair and grabbed the spokes of the wheel in a firm grip.

Down below, Franky shoved the third barrel into its slot on the compressor. He flipped a few switches and the device began to hum to life. Rubbing his chin, Franky turned to regard the last barrel. It wasn't even full. Just how were they going to catch up to Red Hair's ship?

"It's got to be at least 20 kilometers away." Kidd appeared at Franky's side, speaking the words that the cyborg himself was thinking. "We would have to do six _Coup de Bursts_ to cover that distance."

"That's a dozen and a half barrels of cola we don't have." Franky punched his palm in frustration. "This is all we can do. Once we land, Nami will pull the sail back down and Paddle Sunny will have to do the rest. If we can at least shrink the distance, hopefully the other ship'll notice us."

"We don't have the cola to run the paddles; we have to do it on man-power. Plus, there's no reason to think that those guy'll be looking anywhere but ahead of them," Kidd shot back, his expression cross. " What we need is more pressure…"

"I can't make cola out of wine, you know." Franky sighed.

Kidd's eyes widened.

"What?"

The boy's face lit up as if a light turned on. "I'll be right back!" he said in a rush as he darted out the door.

"Oiy! I'm about to fire this thing, Shortie!" Franky shouted after him. "You need to brace yourself!" Cursing and running out of time, the cyborg whirled around and slammed his palm against the compressor, depressing the large red button. A warning bell began to sound on the bridge.

"Launching _Coup de Burst_!" Franky called into the pipes as he twisted a massive handle. Flicking out the safety pin, Franky heaved back with a grunt, and the handle slowly pulled outward.

A great rumbling began to shake the room and a hissing noise like a giant teakettle filled the air before being drowned out by a sonic-level _boom_. Franky felt gravity suddenly pushing down on him and began the countdown. Sixty seconds would be spent rising up into the air until they hit approximately one kilometer. From there they had one more minute as they descended, before landing back into the water. If the winds were with them, they'd travel three, maybe four kilometers.

But the brat was right. They were using the fastest means of transport available on the Thousand Sunny, and it still would only take them about a sixth of the distance they needed to cover. Franky cursed himself, feeling like a failure as a shipwright.

The ship hit the water with a jolt that nearly knocked him off his feet. He could feel the its momentum causing it to scud the waves, like a stone skipping across a pond. But the initial burst of speed would soon fade, and they'd have to decide what to do next.

Kidd burst through the door, his arms loaded with assorted bottles that Sanji would have probably throttled him for touching. There was a small cut across the boy's forehead, and he was panting for breath.

"I told Nami…not to use the paddles yet…I told her to wait…."

"Why?"

Kidd held up his burden. "Because, if we increase the carbonation: we should increase the pressure." He spoke in a rush. "You know how much force a cola bottle has when it's shaken up? If we do that, we should be able to cover the distance in three bursts."

Franky's momentary feeling of elation was crushed under the weight of pragmatics. "We still don't have enough fuel for that."

"That's why we'll use this."

"What's this? Champagne? Shortie, this thing runs on cola."

"It runs on carbonation. Therefore, It should run on champagne."

For the first time, Franky considered the nature of the fuel that the machines he built --and himself-- ran on. He always used cola because he liked it best, when it worked he didn't bother trying to see if anything else could be used as a substitute. And now this kid comes up and pinpoints the exact element of combustion. Plus, thanks to Zoro --the same damn swordsman they were trying to catch up to-- they now had the fuel to do it. Franky felt himself tearing up.

"Shortie, you're a Super Genius!" he sobbed shamelessly. He tried to reach down to give the boy a hug and was violently kicked away.

"Get a hold of yourself, you ox!" Kidd growled, red-faced. "I'm gonna need your help!"

Franky wiped his eyes, still bawling. "You little bastard…you really are a pirate…."

"_Franky_!"

"Right." _Sniff._ "I'll go get the beer."

run

"That sure is a neat trick, getting their ship to hop all froggy like that." Shanks sounded impressed. "Any more of those and they'll be flying over our heads."

Zoro stood at the rail, staring at the Thousand Sunny, which was slowly but surely closing in. His face was expressionless but drawn and pale, like he'd seen a ghost. His fingers had bitten so hard into the wood railing that it was tore his nails, causing them to bleed. Through it all, he hadn't said a word. Ben's heart hurt to look at him.

Ben slipped in next to him, putting a hand on his back and feeling alarmed by how cold it was. "What do you want us to do, Zoro? If you still don't want to face them…"

Zoro was silent for several heartbeats, his eyes glued to the distance. "…Don't stop," he croaked finally out between frozen and barely moving lips. "Keep going." It was a plea rather than an order.

Ben turned around. "You heard him, Captain."

But the redhead just stood there.

"_Shanks_." His eyes bore into his friend's, fighting a silent battle of wills. Surprisingly, Shanks was the first to break away.

"All right," he said, his face twisting briefly with a mix of anger and frustration. "Full-sail ahead, lads."

"Are you serious, Captain?" Yasopp's eyes were wide. "We just gonna ignore them?"

Shanks turned away from them. "I for one have nothing to say to the lad that I haven't already said." He pushed his cape away from him. "I'll be in my room. Ben?" he called out, expecting the other to follow him as he disappeared below decks.

Ben sighed and scratched his head. The way his name had fallen tightly from Shanks' lips told him that he had a fight ahead. He started to follow, glancing back once to check on the newest addition to their crew. An addition that his captain never bothered formally announcing to the rest of the crew.

As for Zoro, he just stared out into the distance –at that painfully familiar ship-- like one would stare at a descending axe blade.

Sighing again, Ben went inside.

fire

The Straw Hats still needed to use the paddle wheels when they landed from the last burst. Normally powered with cola, they had to be operated manually through two built-in capstans. Chopper –in human form—pulled mightily on one crank while Luffy manned the other. Robin stood between the two, her extra hands helping to steady them and pull on the heavy wheels.

With sails at full and paddles whirling, they slowly gained on the other ship. All the while the great dragon ship continued sailing westward as if they hadn't even noticed the Thousand Sunny plummet from the sky. Luffy --overcome with impatience-- finally abandoned his crank, letting Franky take his place as he shot up out of the hold. His sandaled feet made slapping noises against the deck as he ran full speed to the ship's prow. There he stood, panting and crestfallen that the distance was still too far for his Devil's Fruit powers to reach.

"They _had_ to have seen us." Nami stepped up beside him and let out a frustrated noise. Kidd had once again taken over the steering, letting Nami try to find a way to milk more speed out of a ship that was already moving at flank. "Our splash sent their boat forward at least twenty meters! What's going on over there?"

"Don't worry Luffy," Usopp's voice called out from above. "I'll make them notice us!"

The two watched, openmouthed, as the sniper stood atop the observation deck. The strong wind pulled greedily at his hair and clothing, trying to push him over. But Usopp stood confidently, his feet spread out for balance and his long sling grasped firmly in hand.

"What are you doing up there? Get down!" Nami cried, looking like she thought Usopp had gone crazy. "You're going to get yourself killed, you idiot!"

"I'm not going to fall," Usopp replied with an adrenaline-fueled laugh. "I'm going to attack them!"

The sniper raised Kabuto and pulled back on the sling. He let go with a snap and something small and dark shot towards the other ship almost faster than the eye could see. A few seconds passed with nothing before a giant fireball bloomed in the air between the two ships. Usopp held two fingers up in Luffy's direction, his grin visible even from so far above.

"I'll keep firing until they see us," he promised. "If it's to get Zoro back, I can't let myself do less."

"Usopp…." Nami's whisper held surprise, awe and worry all jumbled together. Beside her, Luffy's face broke out into a slow smile.

Usopp took aim at his target and fired three more shots in quick succession. They all fell short, but the explosions they left behind gave Luffy a sudden idea.

"Why don't we fire our cannon at them?"

Nami's look showed she clearly thought she was in the middle of a bunch of lunatics. "Are you kidding? Our Gaon Cannon would blow them out of the water!" She paused. "But, our side cannons…."

A broad grin crossed Luffy's face. Snatching the megaphone out of Nami's hands, he began shouting orders through it.

"Listen guys, it's time to get their attention! Prepare to fire all starboard cannons!"

"You're crazy!" Nami muttered. "We'll only have one chance at this."

"I know," he said quietly before raising his voice once more. "Aim to miss, but not by much. Let's show 'em we don't like being ignored!"

"Aye-aye, Captain!" Their reply floated up through the layers of wood and pitch. Luffy's grin widened.

"Damn it, turn us hard to port," Nami told Kidd, who promptly spun the wheel around. "Usopp! Hold on to something!"

"Ehh? What am I supposed toyaAHH!"

The ship started to swing around. The broach was made so sharply that the water sloshed over the gunwale, threatening to capsize the ship. Luffy reached out a long arm to catch Usopp as he fell off the masthead. He dropped the sniper next to Nami and they all grabbed hold of the helmsman's bench as they struggled to keep their footing. At this speed, the Sunny would only have one chance to get a round off before whirling around in a circle caused by it's own momentum.

The wood below their feet vibrated with five sharp stutters. The four watched with bated breath as five iron balls the size of Franky's fists flew towards the Red Hair Pirates' ship. There was just enough time to see the projectiles explode --three grazing the great dragon ship, two landing in the water-- before momentum swung the Thousand Sunny in a stomach lurching 360°.

Hearts pounding, they clutched at the back of the bench as the ship spun out of control. Kidd hung onto the wheel for dear life, not having the strength to pull out of so sharp a turn. Nami started to let go, with a wild thought of jumping up and grabbing for it. But Usopp's arm snaked around her waist and tightened. He shook his head, a deep frown on his face. Nami slumped against him. He was right. If she tried anything while they were at this angle, she'd likely slide straight overboard. Besides, the ship was finally beginning to slow down and right itself.

The sails were luffing idly as the ship came to rest. They flapped against the masts like laundered sheets hanging on a line. Sunny floated, adrift from the air currents that had been pulling her forward. Below, the ocean bobbed and weaved as the last ripples settled into a normal pattern of blue swells. Nami and Usopp lay on the deck, clutching each other and shivering slightly. Kidd was still riding the helm's wheel, his face white and seemingly unable to make himself let go of the spokes. By the time the three pulled themselves together Luffy was already up and running towards the port side of the ship. The others quickly hurried after.

Their spin had caused them to be perpendicular to the other ship. Luffy stood at the rails, staring out with sharp eyes. Shanks' ship seemed to be carrying a few new scorch marks, but otherwise looked unscathed. What's more, it seemed to be turning about. Luffy grinned and Usopp whooped in triumph. Nami strode up and snatched the megaphone back, muttering about how crazy their scheme had been. But the she was smiling too, as she held the up megaphone and called to the others.

"Weigh anchor and all hands on deck! The East Wind has swung around. Let's prepare to board."

drowning

"I'm sorry, Zoro. But I'll not risk my ship," Shanks said as he ordered his ship to stop. Ben stood behind him, saying nothing though not looking happy about it. "If you're still feeling shy, you can hide below decks and mum's the word about you being on board."

Still standing at the rail, Zoro closed his eyes, remembering how cold the waters around them had been, years ago. If he jumped overboard now, even if he didn't make it back to shore, he would at least find escape of one kind. He pictured the world darkening as he fell beneath the waves, disturbed on how inviting the image appeared.

Gritting his teeth, he pried himself away from the side and forced his feet to move. He walked past Ben and Shanks without a word and disappeared into the hold.

flying

"Who's all going?" Franky asked when everyone had gathered onto the main deck. The East Wind had weighed anchor a short distance away, apparently not so willing to be boarded. Franky frowned and crossed his arms. "Four people can fit on Merry II."

"Just me, guys." Luffy stated as he stood at the rail and fiddled with the tie on his hat, wanting to make sure it didn't fly away. "That's what Shanks wants, or he'd have pulled up along our side."

The others watched him, wanting to protest but knowing better not to. It seemed that --for better or worse-- this was a task for their captain alone. Usopp's worries appeared to be catching; everyone stared at Luffy silently, both hope and fear warring for dominance in their hearts.

"I'm off," Luffy chirped, seemingly unaffected by the tension pulling at his crew. His strong hands grabbed hold of Sunny's railing with a tight grip. Luffy began walking backwards, his arms stretching taut as they prepared to launch their human ballista.

"Luffy!" Chopper called out as he hopped forward suddenly. "You bring him back, okay? No matter what: bring Zoro back."

"I will." Luffy answered, his smile shadowed by the brim of his hat. "I promise." He unlocked his knees, becoming a flying blur of color against the snow.

And then he was gone.

barter

"Ho, Luffy!" Yasopp looked up from mending a sail when Luffy touched down on deck, slipping slightly on the snow-covered planks. "Didn't expect to come under friendly fire! You sure know how to call attention to yourself." He shook his head, his dreadlocks bouncing around the rueful grin spreading across a mouth that looked nearly identical to Usopp's. "How's my boy?"

Luffy didn't reply as his eyes roved the ship's deck. Familiar faces looked up here and there and smiled in greeting. Unknown faces crossed his periphery, whispering to one another in shock at the appearance of _the_ Pirate King on their ship. Luffy felt adrift on a sea of faces, yet none were the face he searched for.

"Where is he?" Luffy demanded as he squeezed through the press of bodies. His eyes locked onto a tall, grey-haired man leaning against a wall with a rifle tucked in the crook of his arm. "Ben!" he called out excitedly before running forward. "You have him, don't you? I--" here Luffy's voice nearly failed him. "I wanna see him."

"See who?" A red-haired man asked from off to the side. "Me?" Shanks, perched on a barrel of ale, gave Luffy a cheeky smirk. "I'm flattered, Mr. King."

Luffy advanced with clenched fists, impatience already getting the better of him. "I came just like you said to," said Luffy with an air of expectancy.

"You're a bit late, actually. As you can see, we were just setting off." His eyes met Ben's for a second before he continued. "Well, as much as I love to reminisce, not to mention be shot at, we have a schedule to keep to. So, if you don't mind…"

Luffy felt the frustration within him begin to boil at the man's casual dismissal.

"Don't give me that shit!" barked Luffy, losing hold on his emotions. "I don't know what you're playing at, Shanks but --if he's alive-- I have to know!"

"I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about." Shanks said lightly. But there was something, some glint in his eye that said otherwise.

Luffy felt despair begin to fill him for the first time since receiving the letter. "Shanks, please," he begged. "Zoro…is he--?"

Shanks looked about to cave at the raw emotion pouring from his young friend. He opened his mouth to speak, but another voice filled the silence instead.

"I didn't take you for a man who'd break his word," the voice said, resigned. An unforgettable face topped with green hair stepped out from the shadow of a nearby doorway and into the light.

Zoro.

He looked pale and ragged, and thinner than when Luffy last saw him. Too thin, Luffy thought. His carefully built muscles had all but vanished, replaced by the firm sinew of an ironwood tree. But the eyes… they were just as piercing, his glare just as sharp.

"Zoro…." Luffy breathed out as his vision narrowed to focus solely on the figure before him.

"You wound me, Zoro," Shanks bemoaned in mock hurt. "I never mentioned your name even once, just as you asked of me." The redhead was shaking his finger with reproach. "I told ya you wouldn't be able to hide from him, though. This kid's too stupid to give up."

Zoro's eyes narrowed at this fool's act. Shanks stared back at him shrewdly.

"Zoro!" Luffy, repeated joyfully, dragging the swordsman's attention away.

Feeling overcome --taxed beyond what an hour's shoveling merited-- Zoro swayed slightly. Ben was immediately at his side, a strong hand grabbing his elbow to steady him. "You should be resting," The older man admonished quietly. "Your fever will come back."

Luffy's relieved gaze faltered. Anxious eyes checked his friend from head to toe, zooming in on his bared chest, where two large scars stood out starkly. They were red and raised and ugly in their newness and, as Zoro turned, Luffy could see the awful marks mirrored across his back. The one on the left side seemed particularly gruesome, thick and broken where the flesh had been torn rather than cut. Luffy swallowed.

"Zoro, are you--? You're okay, right?" Luffy asked haltingly.

Zoro shrugged off Ben's help. "I'm fine," he muttered, staring at some distant point past Luffy's shoulder.

Ben frowned at him before turning to address Luffy's question. "It was touch and go for awhile," he said, ignoring the glare the swordsman quickly sent his way. "We thought we'd lose him before getting him to the Isshin Twenty. Even then, things were shaky. He was breathing, but we weren't sure if he'd ever wake up." Ben met Zoro's glower impassively.

"But then they met that scary old lady on the mountain." Yasopp spoke up, having at some point come up from behind. "After that your young swordsman here began to pull through."

"I guess he's also too stupid to give up." Shanks beamed from his perch. "Haha! What a fine pair you two make!"

"Zoro all but ran away from the doc to sail with us. We knew you'd eventually be along to get him," Yasopp shook his head. " But nothing we said could talk him out of it."

"Stupid, I tell you!" Shanks had acquired a mug of ale from somewhere and raised it in a toast.

Luffy stared at his swordsman, wishing others would leave for a bit and give the two of them a little privacy. Their noise was like a buzzing headache behind the eyes. As for Zoro, he looked like he wanted to murder the lot of them. Luffy's brow furrowed suddenly as he finally processed what Shanks had said earlier: that Zoro had not wanted Luffy to know where he was.

"Zoro…" He took a couple steps forward. "Why--?"

"Go home, Luffy," Zoro said flatly, still refusing to even look his way.

Luffy felt like he'd been sucker-punched. "What?" he asked, because surely he hadn't heard right. The laughter around them trailed off into a subdued silence.

"All right you lot," Shanks interrupted, addressing the two dozen or so of his men who were affecting to eavesdrop on the unfolding drama. "Sod off, will you? I'm sure there's plenty of work to be done out of earshot. Any man caught being a looky-loo goes sober tonight!"

A unanimous groan erupted from the crew and they scattered, Yasopp going with them to urge them on. Ben and Shanks remained, unmoving, with Lucky Roux puttering around not far away. Soon enough, even Yasopp returned quietly to the sidelines. It seemed the core of Shank's crew wanted to see how things played out.

Luffy hadn't even acknowledged the interruption. He stared at his first mate through the shifting bodies, his eyes demanding an explanation.

Zoro sighed and ran a calloused hand through his hair before finally meeting the other man's gaze. "What's done is done," he explained coldly. "There's no going back from here. It's time to go our separate ways."

"What are you talking about?" Luffy demanded angrily as he leaned forward, the tension surrounding him making him appear about to attack. "Are you stupid or something? I'm not going back without you! I promised the others I wouldn't!"

"The others will deal, so just leave me alone." Zoro's voice was still so cold, like he was talking to an enemy.

"No!" Luffy cried, his voice strained and cracking. "I _need_ Zoro!"

When he jumped aboard Shanks' ship, the worst he had tried to prepare for was that it'd all been a misunderstanding; that Zoro really was dead. (Even _he_ had had his nightmares, his moments of doubt-- though he tried not to let them consume him.) But not even in his nightmares had he expected this. "Why are you doing this?"

"My heart's shot, Luffy. I can't even fight at full strength anymore." Zoro rubbed at his face, the admittance seeming to pain him. "I'm not fit to be the Pirate King's swordsman."

Luffy stared at him as if he'd started speaking a different language. But bits and pieces of past conversations started to become a little clearer. He shook his head, banishing them. "You think I care about that? It doesn't matter if you lost both your arms and legs; I'd still need you!"

Zoro's face twisted and he punched the wall beside him, denting the wood. "You don't need a man that stabbed you in the back!" he snarled.

"You--"

"And I don't need a captain who'd make me sacrifice my principles!" Zoro's voice was low and harsh and the angry words clouded the air between them.

Luffy couldn't tell which way was up. Zoro was right there in front of him, but he could feel him slipping further away every second. He needed to say something—_anything_—but he couldn't even get a word in edgewise. "I never asked you to—"

"No, you didn't." Zoro's tone lost its edge, now sounding bone-weary. "And I didn't do it for you. But I did it because of you all the same."

Luffy shook his head again. He felt like he was drowning. "I don't understand… Why won't you come back?"

Zoro looked away again and Luffy found himself hating him for it. Zoro had never before been the type of person afraid to meet someone square in the eye. Luffy wanted to stride up and physically force the other man to look at him.

"With one move," Zoro began in a quiet voice that nearly sunk into the lapping waves. "I stole both your title and your dream. I've managed to hurt you in a way that none of our opponents have been able to." His voice thickened. "I should have been proud to stand there and watch you die as the Pirate King, but I was too damn weak." Zoro met Luffy's gaze briefly, willing him to understand. "That's not the kind of man who should be sailing with you. Greatest Swordsman or not, I'm just not good enough."

"Zoro--"

"I've made up my mind, Luffy."

Luffy's shoulders slumped in defeat. "So that's it? We're done?" he asked brokenly.

"I'm sorry…"

The silence that followed was thick with pain and hurt. Zoro clenched his hands, wishing he could take it all into himself. He didn't want to do this to Luffy, that's why he hadn't wanted to see him. Damn Shanks for taking that decision out of his hands.

His captain --_former_ captain-- stood in the center of the ship, saying nothing, moving nothing. His eyes simply looked around aimlessly, as if lost. Zoro couldn't take it. Unable to keep himself away, he stepped forward on knees that felt weak and jelly-filled, his second hand boots barely making a sound as he crossed the deck. Reaching his goal, he lifted his hands and rested them carefully on Luffy's shoulders.

"I…Luffy…" He trailed off in exasperation. Zoro could feel the other man shaking beneath his thick coat.

He was thankful for the straw hat that hid Luffy's face. Zoro didn't think he could handle seeing the hurt he'd knew he'd find there. _This is for the best,_ he told himself. He had to keep telling himself, because his body was beginning not to listen. Unwittingly, his fingers moved across the back of the other man's neck: rubbing at the tension found there, occasionally brushing against a lock of dark hair. Zoro swallowed heavily.

He wasn't good at consoling people, but he knew he needed to give it a shot. He owed the other as much. Besides, he found he needed a little assurance himself. He closed his eyes and tried again.

"Look, we'll probably see each other agai--"

"No!"

That stopped Zoro cold. His eyes shot open. "What?"

Luffy tilted his head up to glare at Zoro, his mouth set in a stubborn line. "I've already decided! You're coming back with me."

Zoro made short, incredulous noise before his expression turned stone-faced. "I refuse."

"We're a team!" Luffy shouted into the other's face.

"Yeah?" Zoro tried shoving him back, but Luffy wouldn't budge. "Well, from now on, I fight alone."

Luffy let out a low growl deep in his throat and he reached up and grabbed at Zoro's arms, his nails scratching carelessly into bare skin as they scrabbled for a firm grip. He jerked Zoro closer, his words breathing hot against the swordsman's face. "I won't accept it! Even if I have to knock you out and drag you back, I'm not giving you up!" He shook Zoro to illustrate his point, until the man had no choice but to grab on to him for support.

"You want a fight, bastard?" Zoro growled, staring Luffy straight in the eye.

"Yeah, fine; let's go! We can fight all you want back on the ship."

"You're getting on my last nerve, Luffy!"

"Well, that's too bad, because I've already decided."

"Don't decide things on your own!"

"Zoro's coming back with me."

"Damn it, you really are dense!" Zoro yelled.

They both froze suddenly, realizing that this argument had occurred before. In fact, they'd uttered nearly the exact words over five years ago: on the day Zoro joined up with the irrepressible, elastic boy. Disbelief bubbled up their throats, escaping as body-wracking sniggers. Finally, unable to help themselves, Luffy and Zoro fell against one another and began to laugh. They each held onto the other as all their hurt and frustration fell away in tears of mirth. The sound was freeing, giving their onlookers a bit of hope that the two friends would not end up tearing apart.

Zoro's laughter died down first and he head-butted the other good-naturedly. "You'll never change, will you?" he asked in an exasperated tone-- one that seemed to already know the answer.

Luffy's grin was hard. "Never!" His hands slid down Zoro's arms to snatch up his wrists in an iron grip. "So just give up and come home!"

Zoro's grin fell. "Luffy--"

"Hold on now." Shanks jumped up from his barrel, apparently tired of being in the audience. Grabbing Zoro's shoulder, he pulled. Luffy let go of his wrists in surprise and --unbalanced-- the swordsman had no choice but stumble backwards to the man's side. "I've taken this young man into my care; accepted him as a member of my crew. I can't let him go just like that."

"What?" Luffy stared at Shanks in disbelief. "What do you mean?" he asked in a guarded tone. The redhead was well known for his tricks.

"I mean: what will you give me for him?" Shanks amiable expression turned sly. "I am a pirate after all; I won't just hand him over for free. I need compensation for all my time and effort."

"But I'm not going anywhere!" Zoro protested with exasperation.

Shanks ignored him, his eyes on Luffy. "Well, Little Anchor? Are you willing to barter for this guy? The Greatest Swordsman in the world, right? He won't come cheap." He patted Zoro's shoulder like a prize.

Luffy stared from the man he looked up to the man he'd do anything to get back. Shanks was obviously testing him, but what could he want? The right answer would get his First Mate back. But the wrong one… Money? Title? Treasure? What did Shanks want?

Luffy's eyes widened in realization. Slowly –carefully-- he reached up and took off his beloved straw hat. Gazing down on it, he spent a moment memorizing every last braid and weave.

"Here," he said and tossed it to Shanks, who caught it easily in with his one hand.

"A _hat_?" Shanks looked offended. "That's all?"

An aggravated sigh was heard from the nearby doorway.

"Quit teasing the boy, Shanks." Mihawk scolded, his gold eyes glittering in warning. Shanks glared back at him, pouting slightly.

"You're such a wet hen, Hawk Eyes," he complained, spinning the hat around his finger. Mihawk rolled his eyes and, grumbling, Shanks turned back to Luffy. "You sure?" he asked, serious this time. His voice was soft, finally showing some warmth for his beloved protégé. "You wanted it so badly before. You've kept it safe all this time."

Luffy didn't hesitate. "I don't need it anymore," he stated proudly.

"Luffy…." Zoro stood before him, stunned. "You'd--?" The very lengths to which Luffy would go to get him to come back were finally sinking in. Zoro swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat, his eyes lowering.

From the corner of his eye, Shanks watched the swordsman's reaction. Honestly, the things he had to do to beat some sense into that blockhead! If he had to deal with Zoro on a daily basis, his hair would become as grey as Ben's. The redhead quickly schooled his self-satisfied expression.

"Hmph. It looked better on me anyway," he huffed as he jammed it on his own head. But his eyes were tender as he gazed upon his old charge. "Take your swordsman," he smiled kindly.

Luffy broke out into a relieved grin. He turned to Zoro.

"Come back with me Zoro," he pleaded. "It's all right. There can be two Pirate Kings; I don't mind."

"No!" Zoro's voice was so harsh that Luffy flinched.

Zoro moved until he was but a breath away from the other. Lowering his head, he knelt down before him.

"There can be only one Pirate King," he said, bowing.

Luffy's stricken expression quickly transformed. Smiling, he took a step forward, letting Zoro's head rest against his stomach. His arms wrapped around the swordsman's shoulders and clutched at handfuls of moss-green hair.

"There'll be plenty of Pirate Kings…." Luffy smiled down at his mate. "But, there'll only be one Zoro. And that's one thing I'm not willing to give up."

Luffy felt the shoulders he held relax and he tightened his embrace. Not too long afterwards he felt the press of arms against his back as Zoro returned the hug. Closing his eyes, Luffy couldn't hold back a sigh of relief as tears of pricked at the corners of his eyes. It seemed like one of the hardest battles he'd had to go through, but he'd finally won his 'treasure' back. Though the aftermath had left him exhausted and hungry. Come to think of it, he hadn't eaten anything all day!

His stomach gurgled loudly in complaint. Zoro snorted and pulled away slightly, moving to plug his ears at the noise.

"Lucky Roux! Drop a dingy, will ya?" Shanks called out suddenly, laughing. "I'm not for losing a restocked larder just to feed this mongrel. Besides, I doubt our ex-patient is in shape for flying anyways."

relief

Usopp studied the two tiny figures as they embraced. With a shuddering sigh, the sniper's face broke out into a grin as he pulled his goggles off (while surreptitiously dabbing at his watering eyes.) He turned to his companions.

"I think they're going to be okay, now." He announced, his relief making him sag against the rail. He watched everyone's expressions light up and the cold ball in the pit of his stomach vanished.

"Zoro's coming back?" Chopper was bawling. "I'm so glad!"

Usopp nodded, still grinning like an idiot. Everything would be okay now.

Sanji pitched his cigarette and began walking toward the galley, patting the sniper's shoulder as he passed. "Let's go everyone."

The air turned suddenly cold, and it had nothing to do with the snow. Staring at the others, Usopp shivered. There was a new undercurrent flowing through the group. It was a difficult feeling to describe but Usopp felt that, as happy as everyone was, they were also very, very angry.

"W-what are we doing?" he asked as everyone began filing inside. Franky cracked his knuckles loudly and Usopp winced.

"We're getting ready to welcome that shithead back." Sanji replied darkly.

Usopp exchanged troubled glances with Chopper and Brook, neither of whom seemed to share in the negative feelings towards their returning swordsman. Sanji noticed the exchange and frowned.

"If he wants to come back, he has to take responsibility for his actions."

"He saved Luffy's life," Chopper protested.

"He made Robin and Nami cry," Sanji said with his face averted. "I can't forgive that easily."

"If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't have met Kaya," Usopp pointed out, scowling.

"And if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have had to leave her!" Sanji snarled before checking himself. "Look, intentionally or not, his actions hurt all of us in one way or another. I won't accept him back without some restitutions."

"But—!"

"It's no less than he expected of you, Usopp," Nami said quietly, her eyes downcast.

Those words effectively silenced the sniper's argument. Sighing heavily, he nodded and motioned for Chopper and Brook to follow the others inside. Nami grabbed his arm and Usopp reluctantly trailed after them.

He felt that ball of ice hit his stomach once again, and found himself suddenly dreading the moment Zoro stepped foot back on the ship.

hat

Their goodbyes were good-natured but brief. Despite the quip about the food, Luffy and Zoro had been asked to stay; The Red Hair Pirates loved an excuse to party, after all. But when they declined the issue wasn't pressed. All of them knew that the Straw Hats had a lot to work through before the Marines again caught upon their trail.

Luffy met Shanks' gaze and nodded. He didn't say thanks aloud, knowing that the other pirates would just tease him for it, but the emotion was there as plain as the goofy grin on his face. His mentor motioned him to the rail and together they stared out at the slate-grey ocean with peaceful-looking expressions.

"Where will you head now?" Luffy asked, as he watched Zoro disappear to have a last word with Mihawk.

"Banaro Island, I should think," Shanks smiled. "Rumors have it a young, narcoleptic punk with a logia power has taken over there and is trying to fix the place up."

Luffy's eyes widened. "You mean Ace?" His elder brother had been unheard of for so long that he would have thought him dead if it weren't for the slightly charred Vivrecard sewn into his hat, right next to Shanks' own.

"If rumor is to believed, yes." Shanks scratched at his stubble. "I heard he's staying there, waiting to kick his little brother's arse for defeating Blackbeard before he could get his hands on him."

"Haha, I'll make sure to stay away then." The younger man laughed.

"And you?" Shanks asked after a moment of companionable silence. "You've got a lot of people after you, you know. Your fight hasn't ended yet."

"We'll be okay." Luffy's smile was serene as he looked over to where the Thousand Sunny floated. "Dragon wanted me to join his revolution, but I don't see anything wrong with the world the way it is. So I think we'll head to one of the other Blues 'til things calm down. Besides, Nami's still got a lot of places to map; we need to get around to exploring them."

"Hmm…you know North Blue's pretty nice this time of year," Shanks said casually as he leaned against the rail. "I've got a lot of friends up there. Lots of strong fighters too."

"Heh. North Blue, huh…?" Luffy beamed out at the water, feeling the tugging of wanderlust once more.

They waited in silence until Zoro reappeared, fully dressed in some of Ben's hand-me-downs. He walked towards them, reaching up and touching his three earrings with a thoughtful expression. Shanks straightened with an exaggerated stretch and held his one hand out in parting. Luffy shook it warmly, his eyebrows lifting in surprise as he felt something hard and round being palmed to him.

"For later," Shanks whispered, winking.

Luffy looked at the seashell in his hand. He'd been around Usopp long enough to recognize it as a Voice Dial. He looked up at Shanks questioningly but the redhead merely shrugged.

"Take care, Mr. Pirate King." Shanks ruffled the other's dark hair.

"Take care of my hat," Luffy shot back, knocking the hand away.

"Excuse me, _my_ hat." Shanks corrected as he adjusted the brim pointedly.

Luffy made a face at him before hopping onto the rail. He grabbed the rope ladder and called out a "See ya!" as he began his descent to the dingy below. Shanks watched him go, feeling inexplicably proud.

Shanks turned to regard the green-haired swordsman, as his First Mate moved to his side. "Maybe you were right, Ben. Maybe he should've stayed and worked for me." Shanks sighed. "Strong guys like him are hard to come by nowadays. Besides, I think I might just miss having his stubborn ass around."

"He knows where he belongs." Ben smirked. Meeting his gaze, Shanks smiled and put his arm around the other's side.

"Aye."

"Thank you." Zoro bowed solemnly to the two. He straightened and moved towards the edge of the ship. He had one foot on the railing when he turned. "For everything," he added over his shoulder, a rare smile crossing his face. Ben nodded back at him while Shanks just smiled knowingly.

With nothing more to say, Zoro turned and hopped off the ship, ignoring the ladder entirely. A surprised cry sounded from below. Shanks and Ben moved to watch from the rail.

"What are you doing, stupid?" Luffy was ranting angrily at being pressed into the bottom of the boat.

"Sorry." Zoro didn't sound it. Not in the least. "Didn't mean to land on you. Didn't see the rope hanging there."

"I think Zoro did it on purpose but whatever, just get off!"

"Oh, am I still on you?" They heard Zoro chuckle.

"Zoro…!"

The two eventually separated and Luffy's hands went reflexively to his head. "Wait! Where's my h--?" he stopped abruptly.

"What was that?" Zoro asked as he settled down at the other end of the boat.

"Nevermind." Luffy turned to face the other way. "You ready?"

"Whenever, Captain."

Ben turned to Shanks, his cigarette smoke wafting around his captain's head. "You aren't really going to keep it, are you?"

Shanks pulled off the yellow hat and stared at it as if it were a lost friend. "Nah…" he said after a moment. "Makes my head itch."

"I thought it might," said Ben as he looked away, hiding his grin.

The two Straw Hats were just beginning to move away from the ship. Shanks leaned over the rail. "Oiy, Luffy!"

The boy looked up.

"Take it!" Shanks called down, a roguish grin stretching across his face. He let the hat fall. For once the battered straw thing didn't flit away on the lightest breeze. Instead it dropped down right into its owner's outstretched hands.

"Shanks…" Luffy's expression was too blurry at this distance to make out, but his voice sounded choked.

The redhead waved him off. "Like I have a choice!" Shanks shouted down. "You can't be captain of the Straw-Hat Pirates without it!" he explained with a laugh.

gauntlet

Zoro stared at the Thousand Sunny stoically as their little rowboat drew near. Luffy pulled the oars with smooth deep strokes, grinning and saying that he didn't want Zoro to get lost before reaching the ship. But Zoro could tell, from one look at his captain's face, that most of the reason lay with the angry scars across his own chest. Too tired to fight about it, Zoro returned his gaze to the ship.

The deck was empty when they finally boarded. No one hung on the rails, eager to welcome them back. The ship felt abandoned, and Zoro's jaw clenched tightly as he looked around at it. He nearly wanted to run, just so he didn't have to face the others' accusing stares. But that'd be cowardly --and selfish-- considering what his friends must've gone through to get him back. Zoro's will held steady. He'd face them all, without wavering: just hoping for their forgiveness.

Even though he felt he didn't deserve that forgiveness, he needed it all the same.

Luffy stared across the sea, watching the Jolly Roger baring three slashes slowly shrink against the horizon. His blunt fingers bit into the straw of the battered hat he carried and his eyes were fogged over with nostalgia. Zoro stood behind him, waiting for his captain to say a silent farewell to his childhood idols, feeling a little overcome himself. Too soon, it seemed, Luffy stuffed the hat back atop his head and turned, walking across the deck, up the stairs and into the dining room. Zoro followed him, his footsteps heavy.

Luffy let out an involuntary shout when Franky's steel fist plowed into Zoro's face, sending him crashing through a wall that the cyborg himself would have to repair later. The giant man bent over and plucked Zoro from the rubble, holding him up like a rag doll.

"What the hell?" Luffy ordered. "Knock it off, Franky!"

Franky ignored him as he grabbed Zoro's face in one massive hand and shoved his head into the wall with a sick _thunk_. Wood splinters flew.

"Stop it, I said!" Luffy snarled as he grabbed Franky's arm and yanked him away, sending the shipwright flying into the opposite wall.

The rubber-man watched in disbelief as Sanji stepped up next and spun a devastating round-house kick into Zoro's unguarded face. The force of the kick ripped Zoro from the wall and hurled him onto the floor. Luffy threw a wild punch Sanji's way, but the blow was skillfully dodged.

"What's gotten into you guys?" Luffy demanded as he jumped between Zoro and the rest of the crew. His expression held rage and confusion.

"Don't stop us, Captain." Robin warned; her eyes shadowed. When Luffy didn't budge, a dozen limbs materialized from the ceiling to scoop him up, holding him with the strength of iron bands. Luffy struggled futilely as the dark woman stepped forward, blooming more arms: each delivering a stinging slap in quick succession across Zoro's cheeks.

"Gomu Gomu no Fuusen" Luffy's body ballooned outward, breaking the archeologist's hold on him. He landed in a crouch next to Zoro's prone form.

"Leave him alone," he ordered in a low voice, his eyes hot and hard.

Sanji lit a cigarette. "This is a gauntlet, Luffy. If he wants to come back to us, he has to accept back all the pain he's caused us," he turned to the fallen swordsman, a glint of something unnamable in his eyes. "You can do that, right, Zoro? You can take all our pain onto yourself?"

"This is stupid—!" Luffy burst out, but was interrupted.

"…Luffy…don't interfere."

To everyone's shock it was Zoro who'd spoken.

Zoro pulled himself upright with painstaking slowness, not even a grimace crossing his bruised and bloody face. "In order for them to accept me back," he murmured, his voice low and thick and beginning to slur as blood dripped from between his lips. "They have to do this. _I_ have to do this." The green-haired man stumbled forward.

"Zoro…"

"Please."

Luffy watched his friend, clearly unhappy with his decision yet unable to refute something that seemed so integral to the other man's honor. He thought back to his fight with Usopp, and Zoro's demand for the sniper to make a proper apology. Luffy figured this was Zoro's way of doing the same: of apologizing not only to his captain, but the entire crew, for all the pain and grief he put them through. Eyes somber, Luffy stepped back.

"Well?" Zoro spat a tooth onto the floor. "Who's next?" He stared at the others challengingly.

The steam seemed to have gone out of the mob surrounding him, though true to their own pain they didn't back down. Nami stepped up with Clima-Tact in hand; her eyes were red as though she had been crying. Whirling the staff around, Nami suddenly pulled it up into an overhead arc that cracked into the top of Zoro's skull with deafening force. The blow nearly felled him, and Zoro swayed slightly as his vision went double. The damn wench was stronger than she let on.

Next the kid strolled up, all bluff and bluster but with an undercurrent of fear underneath. He hadn't been with the group long enough to know that the swordsman wouldn't dice him up and feed him to the fish later. Still, the little shrimp showed spunk as he socked Zoro a good one right between the legs. Zoro felt to his knees, cursing the half-pint little punk. But now he was in the shortie's range. Kidd hefted one of Sanji's cast iron skillets and plowed Zoro in the face with it.

Kidd scurried backwards as Zoro reached up and rubbed his reddened face, a rueful smirk twitching his lips. In any other situation he wouldn't be allowed near the shitty cook's kitchen junk. Zoro laughed silently for a moment before stopping himself, realizing he was close to cracking. Painting a bored look across his face, he looked up at his friends. He decided to stay on his knees, figuring it was better this way. (Besides, he wasn't sure if he could even get up without toppling over, so this saved him the smallest amount of dignity.)

Brook stepped forward with some hesitancy before stooping over to meet the swordsman's gaze.

"Please take more care of yourself in the future," he whispered, before drawing back and embedding his bony knuckles into the bridge of Zoro's nose. The skeleton caught him as he fell back. "Forgive me," he said, making sure the other steyed upright before pulling away.

"Chopper." Nami called out; a silent order for the Doctor to move forward next.

Out of them all, the diminutive reindeer seemed least willing to strike the swordsman. Big eyes watered in a way that tore at Zoro's already battered heart. He didn't want to force Chopper to do this, but they had to get everything out if Zoro were to return to the crew. This gauntlet was necessary for all of them to help clear the air.

Zoro pulled out Doctorine's letter. "From the witch," Zoro said without emotion, tossing it to the floor. "She wanted to know how her idiot son was doing." As planned, that was enough to cement the reindeer's resolve.

A look of aching rage slid across Chopper's face as he darted forward, transforming as he ran. One mammoth hand grabbed up Zoro by the shirtfront and slammed him against the bulkhead. The humanoid reindeer brought his other hand up and slapped Zoro across the face before backhanding him with it and then cuffing him across the other side yet again.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Chopper cried as he delivered the barrage of strikes, tears streaming through his tightly clenched eyes.

This continued for some minutes until someone finally decided to pull the doctor off him. Zoro didn't know who his would-be rescuer was, as he was too busy trying to stay upright by gripping the wall he leaned on. His ears were ringing painfully and his vision showed only a pinprick of light against the swarming darkness that was threatening to pull him under.

"Usopp…" the name was a buzz against the imaginary clanking of bells.

Someone else spoke, though Zoro couldn't make out the reply.

"Usopp!" The first voice was louder now-- harsher. Sanji.

"I refuse!" That one would be Usopp, Zoro's fuzzy mind supplied.

"Usopp…" Zoro mumbled through the blood and swelling. "It's okay." He was just able to make out the sniper's outline.

Usopp wouldn't look at him, or anyone else, it seemed. "I won't," he said mutinously.

Sanji strode up and forcefully turned the man around. "Those years ago, when you quit the Straw Hats, it was Zoro who told us not to let you back!" Sanji bit out harshly, revealing a truth that by some silent, mutual agreement the others had never spoken aloud.

Usopp's shoulders shook under the cook's pinching fingers. "D-dammit…"

Sanji pushed him Zoro's way. Fist raised, Usopp swung a violent uppercut at the swordsman's jaw. The swordsman closed his eyes against the blow but --at the last minute-- Usopp pulled the punch, and what struck Zoro's cheek was nothing but the faintest rap of the sniper's knuckles.

Usopp gave his perplexed comrade a crooked grin. "Nobody's helped me become a real warrior more than you. And, to tell the truth, these guys should be punishing me right along with you."

His eyes showing all the gratitude that he couldn't force past his lips, Zoro nodded once, effecting to look away at the 'unwarrior-like' tears brimming in the sharpshooter's eyes. Usopp patted the swordsman on the arm brusquely before retreating, trying to keep up his manly postures over his audible snuffling.

"Before we end this, I think there's something you need to say," Sanji spoke around the cigarette he was lighting.

Zoro started to nod but stopped when it felt like his head was going to split open.

"Here," Kidd muttered as he appeared at his side holding an ancient-looking DenDen Mushi. "I have it wired so that everyone in the four Blues should hear it. This button here will record it, so we can play it back over the next couple of days and make sure the message gets across," he added, holding up the receiver.

Zoro held it to his face with a hand that shook imperceptivity. He cleared his throat and licked at his lips that were cracked and bleeding. The swordsman looked around at the others, at Luffy, before turning away. "This is an announcement that everyone needs to hear…" he spoke into the receiver, his voice gravelly. "My name is Roronoa Zoro. I am very much alive --despite what the military says-- and I have something to say, so listen up."

Zoro felt the words welling up his throat but he choked on them. He bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood, trying anything to lighten the paralysis that had stolen over the offending organ. Why was it that this was so hard to say? Was he worried about his honor? Did it bruise his ego to admit that he lied?

No. It was neither of those things.

It was just that, every time he closed his eyes, he was back before those judges once more. He watched the words that left his lips so smoothly then tear into Luffy like razor-sharp blades, each aimed for a killing blow. Zoro knew that even this --even going through the Gauntlet and admitting to the world the truth-- would never be enough to fully heal the invisible wounds he'd dealt; the wounds that were like deep tears in the ties that bound them both together. A simple glance to his empty finger contested to that. Zoro screwed his eyes shut.

"Monkey D. Luffy…" his captain's name came out near to a croak. Zoro could hardly bear to repeat himself, but this had to be done right. "Monkey D. Luffy is, and always will be…"

Zoro was startled to feel a solitary tear slide down his cheek. "The one…" his voice began to crack, and he was glad he was facing away from the others; that he could at least hide the torrent of emotions that was rolling over him.

"The one, true…" Another tear followed its brother in suicide on the wooden deck below. He took a ragged breath inward, filling his battered lungs to full capacity for his finale. He felt his scars pull and it seemed like they would tear open but he didn't care. Even if these words were the last he spoke, Zoro could die at peace with himself.

"PIRATE KING!" Zoro shouted the last, ripping the words from his chest as if he were ripping out his own heart. He dropped the receiver and fell to his knees, unable to hold his emotions in any longer. He shuddered and coughed as rivers of tears streamed down his face.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "You have one last person's forgiveness to receive." Sanji told him, not unkindly.

Zoro nodded and covered his eyes with his hand, trying to compose himself.

"It's your turn, captain."

Luffy voiced the beginnings of a protest. "I already--"

"_Luffy_." The way Zoro said his name dried up whatever he was going to say.

His first mate was standing once more, his voice steady and his eyes, though red and bloodshot, firm and unwavering.

"I _need_ this," was Zoro's only explanation.

Luffy stared at his first mate, his face an open book, relaying a rush of unspoken things-- things that Zoro couldn't even begin to sort out in his current state. Wordlessly, Luffy pulled a fist back, his arm stretching as he put more and more force behind it. Zoro matched his stare unblinkingly, determinedly not bracing himself for the punch. The fist arced towards him without warning, flying as straight and true as a sniper's bullet. Zoro barely felt the pain of the blow as a wave of darkness reached up and eagerly pulled him under.

release

"I never want to do that again," Nami said. She slumped into a seat and buried her head in her hands.

"Help me move him into sickbay," Chopper said as he gathered the fallen swordsman into his arms.

"Right," Usopp and Kidd both replied, jumping past to open the door.

"Are you all right, Sanji?" Brook asked as the blond stood there, staring at nothing.

"What? Yeah, fine." The cook pushed his sleeves up. "I was just thinking that there's an eel in the aquarium that would make a good soup." He scratched his head. "Did you see how skinny that idiot has gotten? Looks like he could use the nourishment."

"Indeed. He was nearly ALL BONES!"

"Shut up, Brook," Robin sighed.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll go fish it out for you, Sanji!" Kidd stated as he darted past.

"Kidd, wait," Franky grabbed him by the collar. "I got something for ya."

Kidd looked up at him in curiosity.

"But, if I give it to you, you got to promise to call me Bro from now on."

"Franky…" Robin gave him _the look_.

"All right, all right." He slid something out of his pocket and held it out to the youngest Straw Hat.

Kidd stared at the small band uncomprehendingly. Looking up, he finally noticed Franky's ring hanging from the chain around the cyborg's neck. The ring that was a few sizes smaller than before: too small now to fit on the man's thick fingers. Kidd's vision blurred.

"You… you took a piece of your own ring… Why?"

"You weren't there when we found one piece, true. But you are a member of this crew. You've fought and bled and cried with us and, 'cause of that, you've got a claim to the treasure. As a Straw Hat Pirate, your captain won't accept anything less."

Kidd looked over at Luffy, who nodded solemnly.

"Besides," Franky grinned and posed. "Doesn't it look super on my necklace?"

"_Franky_…"

Luffy moved towards the door, ruffling the boy's hair as he walked past.

"Find a good dream, Kidd, and we'll help you achieve it."

"You guys…" the kid was crying in earnest now.

"I'll be in the bath," Luffy waved. "Let me know when Zoro wakes up." He disappeared up the ladder.

Knowing whatever message Shanks had for him was meant for his ears alone, Luffy locked himself in the bathroom. He sat on the edge of the empty tub, turning the voice dial over in his hands. Finding the activation switch, he pressed it.

Voices came through the opening of the shell, tinny but clear. Luffy wasn't shocked when Shanks' voice came through, muffled slightly, as if the dial had been in his pocket or something. But Zoro's voice rising in answer was the last thing Luffy had expected. He listened to the recording with wide eyes, a strange, twisting, flying feeling in his heart as he heard Zoro's ragged voice break.

_"…I was fool… A goddamn selfish fool…" _

"… _I didn't want to see him die-- not like that…" _

"… _I just… wasn't prepared to lose him…" _

"…_Far better for me to die than have to witness that…"_

After a few minutes, the recording ended. Luffy pushed the button, listening to it again as realization flooded his brain. After months of angst and uncertainty, Shanks had slapped the answers right into his hands.

He could have laughed, if his throat hadn't felt so tight.

They were the same. What they'd been feeling; it was exactly the same. Maybe it always had been. All these years, and Luffy never really got it. He'd treated Zoro like an extension of himself without even thinking about it—about exactly what that meant.

Maybe it was time he finally did.

Luffy sat in the bathroom and thought for a long, long while.

forgiven

Zoro opened his eyes, silently marveling when pain didn't reveal itself upon waking. It took a few moments to process the fact that his back was cradled by a soft mattress. The smell of antiseptic was heavy in the air. He was in sickbay, then. Apparently the others had forgiven him enough to not leave him crumpled on the floor.

Zoro stared up at the ceiling with a blankness that felt drug-induced. A heavy hand questing around confirmed that his clothes had been removed and his bloody, tear-stained face had been carefully washed. A cool washcloth had been draped soothingly across his forehead. Fresh clothes were lying folded atop a nearby stool, and leaning against it were his three, precious swords.

A ball of warmth formed in Zoro's stomach, melting away the tension that was beginning to reform there. Such compassion would have been impossible had the others felt any hatred towards him.

There was some strange gold bracelet around his right wrist and as much as he tugged he couldn't get the thing off. Zoro regarded it curiously for a moment before shrugging and struggling into a sitting position. When his head didn't immediately roll off onto the floor, he tried standing. He nearly fell back again as he came face to face with his bronze likeness.

Zoro rubbed his eyes, wondering groggily what sort of drugs Chopper had given him. When he looked again the statue was still there, standing in a proud pose that was marred only by the Love Cook's Doskoi apron that it was inexplicably wearing. Lifting the hem, Zoro immediately saw why and snorted to himself.

"Chopper was the only one willing to live with it," he heard Sanji say from behind him. "Besides Luffy, that is. But that idiot wanted to weld the thing onto the figurehead." The blond leaned against the doorway. "I said I'd throw the shitty thing overboard first."

"The only shitty thing about it is that girly pink apron, stupid cook."

"Why don't we send it back to your hometown then? You can show off your little Zoro there."

Zoro smirked and rubbed his chin. "That might not be a bad idea, actually."

Sanji rolled his eyes and motioned him out of the room. "Get dressed and come get something to eat. Most of the others have gone to shore already."

"Huh?" Zoro looked confused as he struggled into his shirt. "How long have I been out? What island are we anchored at?"

"We're still at Drum, stupid, and will be for a while. Miss Nami said the Log Pose takes a month to set."

Hearing those words, Zoro fumbled while trying to put his other leg into his pants and crashed noisily to the floor. "Another month with that witch? Just kill me now," Zoro moaned.

"Don't tempt me." Sanji pulled the man to his feet and handed him his swords, which Zoro put on with no little amount of relief. It hadn't been right without them. He stroked the hilts, as one would a lover.

"Come on," Sanji pushed him forward impatiently. "Before Luffy catches the scent of food."

"He's still on board?" Zoro asked as he allowed himself to be manhandled over to the bar. Sanji hummed in affirmative.

"Him and Usopp too."

The blond sat the bowl up on the bar and ladled a generous amount of soup into it, watching a waft of steam rise up and send the dish's mouthwatering aroma airborne. Zoro stared at the fluffy white meat floating cloudlike in the yellow broth. His stomach gurgled despite himself.

"Conger soup." Sanji stated gruffly, setting down a spoon. "I expect you to eat every bite."

The cook leaned casually against the bar, his hands loosely clasped atop it, as he watched the swordsman blow on the spoon before taking his first bite. The flavor of it flooded Zoro's mouth even after he'd swallowed.

"It's good," Zoro murmured as he dug into the bowl with more exuberance. "Don't let it go to your head," he spoke into the bowl. "But I really missed your cooking."

But, while that kind of comment normally brought a happy grin to the man's face, Sanji only bowed his head. Zoro paused in his meal; unable to miss the way the cook's hands were trembling.

"Oiy." Zoro's voice was soft.

"Don't ever pull that kind of shit again." Sanji's shaking increased, matching the tremulous note in his voice. "I—you are _not_ replaceable, you bastard."

Zoro nodded, pretending to ignore the wetness trailing down the blond's cheeks. For a while there was nothing save the light slurping sound of the swordsman devouring his soup. Eventually Zoro sat the empty bowl down.

"Thanks for the meal."

Sanji sat up, wiping his face under the subterfuge of lighting a cigarette.

"You're welcome." He stretched his arm up and retrieved a mug from the overhead cabinet. Pulling a pitcher out from the fridge, he poured the swordsman a large glass of tea. Zoro frowned as it was set in front of him.

Sanji saw the look Zoro gave him and smirked. "We're out of booze," he said, enjoying the way the other winced in response. "And I may have forgotten to add it to Miss Robin's grocery list."

"You really are a bastard," Zoro growled, downing the tea with a look of distaste.

Sanji grinned evilly. "I missed you too."

promises

Not long later Zoro left the kitchen and –after disengaging himself from Usopp's sobbing embrace—made his way down to the aquarium bar to sneak in a little more rest. He stretched out on the long couch and watched the fish swim around with lazy eyes that soon slipped closed as sleep took him.

When he woke, Luffy was standing over him, his hands jammed into his pockets. The two stared at one another silently. Finally Zoro sighed and shifted into a sitting position, patting at the cushion next to him. Luffy wordlessly took a seat, watching Zoro out of the corner of his eye as the swordsman leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. The air felt weighted around them.

Luffy was the first to break the stillness.

"Thanks," he said simply. "For earlier."

Zoro didn't open his eyes as he thought back to the words he'd shouted into the DenDen Mushi. "I owed you."

"Mm." The sound was short and soft, but agreeing.

"I'm sorry, you know." Zoro said quietly after a moment.

Luffy stared him straight on. "Did you want me to die back there?"

Zoro looked at him like he'd gone insane. "No!"

Luffy shrugged. "Then you're not sorry."

"I betrayed the trust that a first mate must have in his captain. For that," Zoro sighed, "I _am_ sorry."

"We're more than that to each other."

"I know."

"I can't say I wouldn't have done the same."

Zoro chuckled humorlessly. "Liar."

Luffy slid off the couch and moved to squat down in front of the swordsman. "If it were you, I would have done whatever it took." He stated firmly, his hand coming up to grasp Zoro's own. Zoro stared back at into those dark, steadfast eyes, feeling the tight band of tension across his heart ease slightly. Feeling a bit more himself, his lips quirked up in the faintest of smirks.

"Thanks for dragging me back."

Luffy squeezed his hands. "Alive, dead, or in hell: I'll always drag you back."

"I'll make it easy on you then," Zoro said with a grin. "I promise you: I die along with my captain, or not at all."

Luffy rose back up as he silently regarded his friend. He suddenly smiled.

"I think I can live with that."

Zoro snorted, "It wasn't like I was asking for your permission." He yawned and put his hands behind his head. "Now go bug someone else, will ya? I need a nap. One that doesn't come from one of your Gomu Pistols."

His eyes closed on the image of his captain's grin. He heard Luffy's sandals slap against the polished wood as he moved across the floor. Zoro felt the man pause by the door.

"Oh yeah," Luffy muttered, seemingly to himself. "I think this belongs to you."

Zoro's eyes shot open as something small and shiny arced his way. Zoro deftly caught it in mid-air. He stared down at the gold band in his hand before raising his eyes to stare at Luffy's back.

"Thanks," he murmured.

"Try not to lose it." His captain stated without turning around. His voice carried an obvious smirk, mixed with a hint of mischief.

Zoro tried to slide the ring onto his forefinger and was surprised to find that it wouldn't fit. He stared at the little piece of gold in confusion. "What gi—" Zoro's voice failed him, as his sharp eyes caught the inscription on the band.

T O M O

Zoro's throat tightened. "Hey," he called out, his voice strangely hoarse. He looked up, but the doorway was empty.

Smiling ruefully, he slipped the ring onto the only finger it would fit.

Still smiling, he laid his head back against the arm of the couch as his eyes drifted closed. The ring felt comfortable: as if it had always been on that finger. The iron band around his heart snapped, and Zoro finally felt peace flowing out from the battered organ.

_'That idiot,_' Zoro mused absently as his thumb moved to fiddle with the object on his third finger. _'I wonder if he even knows what that's supposed to mean…'_

tomorrow

Luffy stared at the ring sitting loosely on his finger, hoping Zoro got the point of his little bait and switch. He was entrusting his dream to his first mate and, in return, he himself was taking charge of Zoro's own. He had done it on a whim, and was surprised at how right the idea felt.

"Hey Usopp," Luffy called out, emerging from below. "Do you got a hammer on ya?"

"Sure, Luffy." Usopp reached into one of the many pockets of his overalls, not looking up from his current snowy masterpiece forming on the main deck. "It's just a small one though," he said apologetically as he handed it over.

Luffy smiled at the ball pane hammer. "It's just what I need," he stated cheerfully.

Without further warning, he slapped his hand down on the deck –fingers splayed out-- and raised the hammer high. Usopp stared in shock as Luffy brought the hammer down heavily across his third finger.

"W-wh-what the heck did you do that for?" he demanded incredulously as Luffy gave the hammer back.

Luffy hopped to his feet, looking bright all over from the falling snow. He was alternately grimacing and smiling as he rubbed his swollen finger, satisfied that the gold band sitting on it no longer felt loose. He gazed at the ring fondly for a moment, fingers trailing across the scratchy engraving across it.

R R O W

"Just reminding myself of what I'm living for." Luffy answered Usopp with a grin.

Usopp wanted to know what exactly that cryptic answer meant but Luffy laughed and challenged him to a snowball fight. And with his thoughts suddenly sidetracked by a face of icy white snow, Usopp never remembered to ask.

end


End file.
